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Urban Wood Utilization – Giving Community Trees a Second Life

Urban Wood Utilization – Giving Community Trees a Second Life

Old photograph of men standing at a saw mill near a cutter. The photo is black and white and dates back to 1925.

What is Urban Wood?

Urban wood refers to lumber from community trees that were removed for reasons other than the harvest of their timber. Instead of being chipped, composted, or burned, this wood is redirected and repurposed into new products like quality lumber, flooring, furniture, and building materials.

Common sources of urban wood: 

  • Removed street and yard trees
  • Storm-damaged trees
  • Trees removed for development or safety 

Urban Wood Products:

  • Lumber and slabs 
  • Furniture and cabinetry
  • Flooring and millwork 
  • Mulch, compost, and biomass products 
  • Artistic and specialty wood products

Urban Wood Utilization in Michigan

  • History – Belle Isle State Park Sawmill

  • Michigan Community Example (Grand Rapids)

  • Michigan's urban wood potential
    • According to a study by the US Forest Service, 1.7 MILLION METRIC TONNES of urban wood is chipped, burned or composted in Michigan each year. That equals about:
      • 63 MILLION BOARD FEET of lumber that can be produced annually.
      • 383,000* METRIC TONNES of carbon that can continue to be sequestered (stored) in the wood. (*industry standard dried hardwood weight to carbon calculations less standard average of 40% loss of material during manufacturing).
      • 1.4* MILLION METRIC TONNES of CO2 emissions that can be avoided annually. (*standard carbon to CO₂e calculations)
      • View the 2019 Annual biomass loss and potential value of urban tree waste in the United States journal
 
Wood picnic tables made from wood fresh from the sawmill Credit - MSU Forestry

Benefits of Urban Wood Utilization

  • Environmental benefits

    • Reduces landfill waste
    • Stores carbon in wood products
    • Encourages sustainable resource use 
     

  • Economic benefits

    • Creates local business opportunities 
    • Supports multiple industries (e.g. tree care, wood products)
    • Promotes higher value uses from removed trees 
     

  • Community

    • Preserves local tree stories and heritage 
    • Supports community projects and public spaces 
    • Increases awareness about uses of urban trees and wood
Old photograph of men standing at a saw mill near a cutter. The photo is black and white and dates back to 1925.

Resources

TN Department of Agriculture 

Climate Smart Wood Group – Procurement Document Option 1

USDA The Urban Wood Workbook: A Framework for the Baltimore Wood Project

Urban Wood Utilization Guide: A Playbook for Establishing a Municipal Program – CAL FIRE and USDA Forest Service

Urban Wood Network

Society of American Foresters – Forest Proud - Urban Wood Utilization | #forestproud

USDA Forest Service and Partners – Urban Wood Roundtable