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The Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) is the national research laboratory of the
United States Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 United States National Forest, national forests and 20 United States Nationa ...
, which is part of
USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of comme ...
. Since its opening in 1910, the FPL has provided scientific research on wood, wood products and their commercial uses in partnership with academia, industry, tribal, state, local and other government agencies. The laboratory is headquartered in
Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th ...
. The focus of the Forest Products Laboratory is to promote healthy forests and forest-based economies through the efficient, sustainable use of the Nation's wood resources.


History

By the late 1800s, awareness was growing that timber resources were finite and careful use could extend them. In 1887 B.E. Fernow, chief of the
Division of Forestry The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...
in the Department of Agriculture reported:
The properties upon which the use of wood, its technology, are based, should be well known to the forest manager if he wishes to produce a crop of given quality useful for definite purposes. Our ignorance of this direction has been most fruitful in fostering a wasteful use of our natural forests, and the same ignorance misleads even the forest planter of today in choosing the timber he plants and the locality to which he adapts it. How the
Black Walnut ''Juglans nigra'', the eastern American black walnut, is a species of deciduous tree in the walnut family, Juglandaceae, native to North America. It grows mostly in riparian zones, from southern Ontario, west to southeast South Dakota, south to ...
has been sacrificed for fence material, how the valuable Chestnut Oak has rotted in the forests unused, how the Hemlock has been despised and passed by when it might have been successfully used to lengthen the duration of White Pine supplies, how timbers are now used in unnecessarily large sizes and applied to uses for which they are not adapted, while other timbers are neglected for uses for which they are adapted --- all these unfortunate misapplications are or have been due to lack of knowledge of the technological properties of our timbers.
Between 1890 and 1910 research into timber management and reforestation was scattered across various U.S. universities. Research into the mechanical properties of various woods was done at Purdue and universities in Washington, California, Oregon and Colorado.
Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...
hosted studies on preservation and kiln drying. An experimental pulp mill was at Boston, along with studies of wood chemistry and preservation. The Forest Products Laboratory was conceived of in 1907 by McGarvey Cline, chief of the U.S. Forest Service Office of Wood Utilization. Cline saw the need for a centralized research facility in order to improve coordination among regional research centers. Along with Forest Service Chief Gifford Pinchot, Cline selected the
University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...
campus as the site for this new laboratory because Madison had good access to rail lines, was close to timber resources, and the UW had a good reputation for scientific research. With . In 1910 the Forest Products building at 1509 University Avenue (now Materials Science and Engineering Building) was completed, housing 45 researchers in eight divisions: Timber Physics, Timber Testing, Pulp and Paper, Wood Preservation, Wood Chemistry, Wood Distillation, Wood Engineering, and Pathology.
Raphael Zon Raphael Zon (December 1, 1874 - October 27, 1956) was a prominent U.S. Forest Service researcher. Early life Raphael Zon was born in Simbirsk in the Russian Empire in 1874, to parents Gabriel Zon and Eugenia Berliner. A schoolmate of Lenin's, ...
's advocacy of research led to the organization of the first Federal Forest Experiment Stations and the Forest Products Laboratory under the Branch of Research, which was formed in 1915. The lab's work grew and in 1919 there was already a proposal for a new facility. It was finally funded in 1928. The UW provided 10 acres on the west end of campus and the Forest Service built the new lab in 1931 and 1932. The building was designed by
Holabird and Root The architectural firm now known as Holabird & Root was founded in Chicago in 1880. Over the years, the firm has changed its name several times and adapted to the architectural style then current — from Chicago School to Art Deco to Modern ...
of Chicago in International Style, reflected in the absence of ornament, the ribbon windows, and the corner windows. The building's footprint is U-shaped, with the central block six stories tall. Inside, the lobby floor is
terrazzo Terrazzo is a composite material, poured in place or precast, which is used for floor and wall treatments. It consists of chips of marble, quartz, granite, glass, or other suitable material, poured with a cementitious binder (for chemical bind ...
and the doors and wood trim are stained and varnished American Walnut. The second floor is trimmed in white and red oak, the third in
chestnut The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce. The unrel ...
, the fourth in clear birch, and the fifth in redgum. Low annexes were added to the main lab building in 1935 and in the 1950s, and various detached outbuildings have been added over the years, like the 1934 Fire Test Building. Research at the FPL has improved quality of life for nearly every American by facilitating breakthroughs in housing, packaging, recycling, and conservation of forest resources. Specifically, researchers at the FPL developed particle board, glued laminated wood, the laminated arch, pulp paper processes, and fiberboard boxes, and wood crates. The FPL has also made numerous important contributions to the country during its history, including crucial research for the armed forces during times of war.Risbrudt, C.D., Ross, R.J., Blankenburg, J.J., Nelson, C.A. (2007). Forest Products Laboratory: Supporting the Nation's Armed Forces with valuable wood research for 90 years. Forest Products Journal, Vol. 57(1&2), pp. 6-14.


Overview

The mission of the Forest Products Laboratory is to identify and conduct innovative wood and fiber utilization research that contributes to conservation and productivity of the forest resource, thereby sustaining forests, the economy, and quality of life. The FPL is organized into seven primary Research Work Units. These units utilize the testing resources of several laboratories and informational repositories located within numerous FPL campus facilities. Five primary Areas of Focus are the center of all FPL research. Collaboration on this research takes place with various other Federal agencies; state, local, and tribal governments; private industry and academic institutions.


Research Emphasis Areas

*Underutilized Woody Biomass: Forests in the United States contain a significant amount of small-diameter and underutilized woody
biomass Biomass is plant-based material used as a fuel for heat or electricity production. It can be in the form of wood, wood residues, energy crops, agricultural residues, and waste from industry, farms, and households. Some people use the terms bio ...
. Overstocked stands of trees increase the risk of catastrophic wildfires and damage due to insects, disease, and drought. Thinning these stands can help reduce risks but can be very costly and may exceed the value of the biomass being removed. The commercial use of thinning material creates a market for value-added products and is one way to improve the economics of thinning operations aimed at improving forest health. Since 1993, the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) has focused some of its many research efforts on characterizing and identifying potential uses for small-diameter and thinning material. FPL researchers also provide technology to help rural communities create successful businesses from the by-products of
ecosystem management Ecosystem management is an approach to natural resource management that aims to ensure the long-term sustainability and persistence of an ecosystems function and services while meeting socioeconomic, political, and cultural needs. Although indig ...
. Some projects have explored the potential of "in the round" form small-diameter structural material for uses in bridges, boardwalks, trail structures, picnic shelters, storage sheds, and other rustic-type buildings. *Nanotechnology:
Nanotechnology Nanotechnology, also shortened to nanotech, is the use of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale for industrial purposes. The earliest, widespread description of nanotechnology referred to the particular technological goal ...
research presents great potential for improved wood product performance and serviceability. As such, the FPL is poised to be the preeminent Federal facility for the application of nano-science in forest products research. Potential nanotech applications include wood composite materials with embedded nanosensors to measure and react to structural forces, loads, moisture, and temperatures. Nano-enabled antimicrobial and water resistant coatings on lumber for use in flood-prone areas and hurricane zones could improve health, safety, and wood resiliency in these areas. The development of high-value products from undervalued wood resources using cellulose nanocrystals and nanofibrilated cellulose components can also improve the performance and durability of fiberboard,
particleboard Particle board, also known as chipboard or low-density fiberboard, is an engineered wood product manufactured from wood chips and a synthetic resin or other suitable binder, which is pressed and extruded. Particle board is often confused with ...
, and glued structural products for use in a wide array of structural applications. *Forest Biorefinery and Biomass Utilization: The FPL is well-placed to pursue research opportunities to improve the economics of producing transportation fuel,
bioenergy Biomass is plant-based material used as a fuel for heat or electricity production. It can be in the form of wood, wood residues, energy crops, agricultural residues, and waste from industry, farms, and households. Some people use the terms biom ...
, and chemicals from woody
biomass Biomass is plant-based material used as a fuel for heat or electricity production. It can be in the form of wood, wood residues, energy crops, agricultural residues, and waste from industry, farms, and households. Some people use the terms bio ...
. Development of profitable biorefineries helps lower the cost of forest management, improves forest health, advances sustainable forest management practices, reduces dependence on fossil fuels, and decreases production of greenhouse gases. Decades of
fire suppression Wildfire suppression is a range of firefighting tactics used to suppress wildfires. Firefighting efforts in wild land areas require different techniques, equipment, and training from the more familiar structure fire fighting found in populated ...
have disrupted the natural fire cycle of U.S. forests, resulting in an estimated 8.4 billion dry tons of material that needs to be removed from the National Forests to improve their resiliency. This material is available for production of wood products, chemicals, and energy, yet profitable uses for the material are needed to reduce the costs of forest management. Business concepts that focus on converting wood resources into liquid fuels and chemical feedstock are becoming cost competitive. As international concerns over
global warming In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...
and
greenhouse gas A greenhouse gas (GHG or GhG) is a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, causing the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor (), carbon dioxide (), methane ...
generation rise, governmental support for
biofuels Biofuel is a fuel that is produced over a short time span from biomass, rather than by the very slow natural processes involved in the formation of fossil fuels, such as oil. According to the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA ...
is increasing and likely reduces investment risks. Fuels derived from biomass are generally regarded as greenhouse gas neutral because the amount of carbon dioxide released on combustion equals the amount adsorbed from the atmosphere and sequestered by the plant through
photosynthesis Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism's activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored in ...
. *Advanced Structures Research: In the past, structures were primarily designed based on life and safety issues. Today, structural design also includes functionality, environmental impact, and economics. Performance-based engineering encompasses these considerations in
structural design Structural engineering is a sub-discipline of civil engineering in which structural engineers are trained to design the 'bones and muscles' that create the form and shape of man-made structures. Structural engineers also must understand and c ...
and is gaining momentum with architects and engineers. Performance-based engineering implies design, evaluation, and construction of engineered facilities that meet uncertain future demands. The concepts require a shift away from empirical and experience-based conventions towards a design and assessment process more firmly rooted in accurate prediction of structural performance under a realistic description environmental loading factors that the structure experiences. This approach also emphasizes monitoring the health of the structural system, evaluating performance characteristics and identifying the need for renovation or new construction. It forms the foundation of strategies for revitalizing our decaying infrastructure. *Advanced Composites: For decades, wood
composite materials A composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the common name) is a material which is produced from two or more constituent materials. These constituent materials have notably dissimilar chemical or ...
have been used to create value-added commodity building and home furnishing products (for example,
plywood Plywood is a material manufactured from thin layers or "plies" of wood veneer that are glued together with adjacent layers having their wood grain rotated up to 90 degrees to one another. It is an engineered wood from the family of manufactured ...
,
particleboard Particle board, also known as chipboard or low-density fiberboard, is an engineered wood product manufactured from wood chips and a synthetic resin or other suitable binder, which is pressed and extruded. Particle board is often confused with ...
, fiberboard, hardboard). More recently, biobased composite products based on natural fibers, and hybrid products, such as wood–plastic composites, have come on the market. New composite technologies, such as nano-enabled composites, are being developed as low-volume, high-value composites. Each of these technologies adds considerable value to diverse wood- and bio-fiber feedstocks, including small-diameter timber, plantation-grown timber, agricultural and industrial residues, exotic–invasive species, and demolition and recycled materials. Biobased composites are also an outlet for timber removals and thinning, which helps forest managers restore damaged ecosystems and promotes sustainable forest management practices. Recent advances in wood and biocomposite research have led to a new understanding between materials, process, and composite performance. Advances in engineered biocomposites impact a wide range of composite products, including economical commodity products and high-performance niche products.


Research Work Units

*Durability & Wood Protection: Improving durability and wood protection through improved building design, advances in low-toxicity wood preservatives, and improvements in fire safety. *Economics & Statistics: Providing economic information, analysis, and projections and to enhance the efficiency of research through development, evaluation, and application of modern statistical research. *Engineered Composites Sciences: Understanding relationships between materials, process, and performance to engineer biocomposites that benefit users while promoting sustainability of both virgin and recycled forest resources. *Engineering Properties of Wood, Wood-based Materials & Structures: Improving the characterization of the mechanical and physical properties of wood and wood-based products that are important in engineering design and fostering their efficient use in wood building systems. *Fiber & Chemical Sciences Research: Formulating efficient processes for converting wood to chemicals and fibers, developing economically viable uses for underutilized wood resources, and improving methods for recovering and reusing forest products such as waste paper and construction debris. *Institute for Microbial & Biochemical Technology: Developing biotechnology and nanotechnology for wood and fiber conversion through research that contributes to efficient wood utilization and improved forest health. *Forest Biopolymer Science & Engineering: Understanding the basic properties of wood and other materials used in conjunction with wood to improve their properties, enhance their service life, and develop new uses.


Laboratory Units

*Analytical Chemistry & Microscopy Laboratory (ACML): The ACML provides high-quality analytical support and technical consultation to FPL researchers using specialized equipment and capabilities, such as a nanoindenter,
atomic force microscope Atomic force microscopy (AFM) or scanning force microscopy (SFM) is a very-high-resolution type of scanning probe microscopy (SPM), with demonstrated resolution on the order of fractions of a nanometer, more than 1000 times better than the op ...
and scanning electron microscope. *Engineering Mechanics & Remote Sensing Laboratory (EMRSL): The EMRSL conducts physical and mechanical tests on a wide range of materials, building systems, and structures for use in the development of building codes and
structural design Structural engineering is a sub-discipline of civil engineering in which structural engineers are trained to design the 'bones and muscles' that create the form and shape of man-made structures. Structural engineers also must understand and c ...
. Testing of products and structures can involve samples ranging in size from toothpicks to full structural beams to three-dimensional building mock-ups. *Paper Test Laboratory: The Paper Test Laboratory focuses mainly on analyzing printing and writing grades of paper. Researchers are able to address most paper testing needs regarding strength, optical, and surface properties. Testing is conducted in a tightly controlled humidity room for optimum accuracy.


Resources & Technical Assistance

*Center for Wood Anatomy Research: The Center for Wood Anatomy Research at FPL is home to the world's largest research wood collection. Over 100,000 samples are used for research and identification purposes. Researchers study anatomical and other characteristics of wood that may affect their utilization potential, provide wood identification services, and answer questions concerning the properties, characteristics, and uses of tropical and obscure native species. *Center for Forest Mycology Research: The Center for
Mycology Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans, including as a source for tinder, traditional medicine, food, and entheogen ...
Research maintains a
herbarium A herbarium (plural: herbaria) is a collection of preserved plant specimens and associated data used for scientific study. The specimens may be whole plants or plant parts; these will usually be in dried form mounted on a sheet of paper (calle ...
containing 70,000 dried specimens of decay
fungi A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately fr ...
collected since the early 1900s, as well as a collection of more than 12,000 living cultures. Samples from these collections are used by researchers around the world to further their studies. While located at FPL, the Center for Forest Mycology Research is officially a unit of the Forest Service's Northern Research Station. *Technology Marketing Unit: Located at FPL, the USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry's Technology Marketing Unit (TMU) provides a broad scope of expertise in wood products utilization and marketing,
technology transfer Technology transfer (TT), also called transfer of technology (TOT), is the process of transferring (disseminating) technology from the person or organization that owns or holds it to another person or organization, in an attempt to transform invent ...
, and technical assistance. The TMU works in collaboration with many different partners to ensure ready adoption of forest-based material technologies to many small, rural
forest products A forest product is any material derived from forestry for direct consumption or commercial use, such as lumber, paper, or fodder for livestock. Wood, by far the dominant product of forests, is used for many purposes, such as wood fuel (e.g. in f ...
businesses. The breadth of their work includes forest products conservation, processing, manufacturing efficiency, marketing, recycling, and
bioenergy Biomass is plant-based material used as a fuel for heat or electricity production. It can be in the form of wood, wood residues, energy crops, agricultural residues, and waste from industry, farms, and households. Some people use the terms biom ...
. The technical assistance they provide includes publications, technical assistance visits, conferences, workshops, meetings, and one-on-one consultations over the phone or in person. The TMU also manages and awards annual grants dedicated to helping improve the utilization of woody
biomass Biomass is plant-based material used as a fuel for heat or electricity production. It can be in the form of wood, wood residues, energy crops, agricultural residues, and waste from industry, farms, and households. Some people use the terms bio ...
removed from
forest restoration Forest restoration is defined as “actions to re-instate ecological processes, which accelerate recovery of forest structure, ecological functioning and biodiversity levels towards those typical of climax forest” i.e. the end-stage of natural ...
projects. *FPL Library: FPL houses a national Forest Service library that is open to the public. Subject areas include solid wood products, pulp and paper, mycology, wood anatomy, wood engineering, biotechnology, adhesives, wood preservation, fire research, economics, biodeterioration of wood, paints and coatings, and recycling.


Research & Testing Facilities


Centennial Research Facility

The most advanced large-scale addition to the FPL in over 70 years is the new Centennial Research Facility (CRF), a multi-use laboratory. This facility was built to meet qualifications for Silver certification by the
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating systems for the design, constructio ...
(LEED) rating system developed by the
U.S. Green Building Council The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), co-founded by Mike Italiano, David Gottfried and Rick Fedrizzi in 1993, is a private 501(c)3, membership-based non-profit organization that promotes sustainability in building design, construction, and op ...
. As such, the CRF was designed and built using strategies to improve performance across the most important efficiency metrics: energy savings, water usage,
greenhouse gas emissions Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities strengthen the greenhouse effect, contributing to climate change. Most is carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas. The largest emitters include coal in China and ...
reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources including sensitivity to their impacts. CRF researchers in engineering mechanics can test the strength of full-scale structures while durability researchers put wood products to the test in a rather punishing weather simulation chamber. Modern preservation testing equipment will replace the older vessels previously used, while an efficient and manufacturing-friendly floor plan will help advance research in wood- and bio-based composites.


Research Demonstration House and Carriage House

FPL has constructed two full-scale structures, the Research Demonstration House and Carriage House, for research and educational activities. Both of these structures allow researchers to conduct housing-related studies in a real-world setting, which can significantly extend knowledge obtained in a laboratory environment. These structures are a result of collaboration through the Advanced Housing Research Center, established by FPL in 2000, which includes a wide range of partners from both the public and privates sectors working to improve housing technologies.


Fire Test Lab

The fire testing facility at FPL is key to developing safe, durable building products. The current facility is equipped to perform standardized tests for flame retardancy and fire resistance. Plans for construction of a new fire test facility are underway, and current capabilities will be enhanced by enabling simulation of actual fire scenarios on a larger scale. The new facility will allow researchers to better address wildland fire threats to structures and development of performance-based building codes.


Pulp & Paper Plant

FPL's fiber processing pilot plant is equipped to replicate industrial pulping and papermaking processes on a pilot scale. With capabilities in chip production, pulping, paper and fiberboard production, and even recycling, researchers can test new methods and evaluate their effectiveness on equipment similar to that used by commercial manufacturers.


Nanocellulose Pilot Plant

In August, 2012, the FPL unveiled a $1.7 million production facility for renewable, forest-based nanomaterials. This facility is the first of its kind in the United States and one that positions the laboratory as the country's leading producer of nanocellulose materials. Nanocellulose is simply wood fiber broken down to the nanoscale. For perspective, a nanometer is roughly one-millionth the thickness of an American dime. Materials at this minute scale have unique properties; nanocellulose-based materials can be stronger than Kevlar fiber and provide high strength properties with low weight. Applications for nanocellulose materials, for example, include use in lightweight armor and ballistic glass. Companies in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, consumer products, and medical device industries also see high potential for these innovative materials in a wide variety of applications. The facility will support an emerging market for wood-derived renewable nanomaterials, helping to spur forest-based job growth and contribute an estimated $600 billion to the American economy by 2020. The U.S. and other nations will see numerous benefits from the commercialization of wood-derived cellulosic nanomaterials. Development and commercialization of new lightweight, high-performance wood-derived products can help reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions while increasing the potential for rural manufacturing opportunities, including the creation of many new high-paying jobs. The Forest Product Lab's new facility will aid in the commercialization of these materials by providing researchers and early adopters of the technology with working quantities of forest-based nanomaterials.


References


External links

*
Old Forest Products Laboratory
in ''The Buildings of the University of Wisconsin''
USDA Forest Service Research & Development

Forest Products Laboratory History
( Forest History Society)
Greatest Good: 100 years" a Video on the life and legacy of Raphael Zon by Char Miller

LabNotes: The official blog of the Forest Products Laboratory
{{authority control United States Forest Service Buildings and structures in Madison, Wisconsin Government buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Wisconsin Forest research institutes Forestry in the United States National Register of Historic Places in Madison, Wisconsin 1910 establishments in Wisconsin de:United States Forest Service es:Servicio Forestal de los Estados Unidos it:United States Forest Service pl:United States Forest Service