Whether it’s the wood cabinets in your summer cabin or its a 25-story building in Milwaukee’s East Town neighborhood, Wisconsin forestry makes it happen.
Wisconsin’s forest products industry contributes $37.8 billion in total economic value to the state. It ranks second nationally for production value, according to the Wisconsin DNR. The industry also ranks sixth nationally in generating forestry employment, with more than 123,000 jobs in the state.
“From paper products such as food packaging, fine writing paper and toilet paper to lumber used to build homes, flooring and furniture, we depend on forest products daily,” says Scott Lyon, DNR forest products team leader out of Green Bay.
But it’s not easy to maintain that status. Between changing consumer preferences and environmental threats, the state’s forest products industry innovates and adapts to stay on top.
“Our tastes change all the time… the market has changed a lot over the years just because of changes in consumer trends,” Lyon says. “In the paper industry, people are choosing less paper than we have been decades ago. The industry has declined some… that has caused some mill closures and the price of logs and pulpwood to decrease over time, too.”
In the woods, invasive species also threaten the industry.
“Invasive species, such as Emerald Ash Borer, has been a big an issue over the past 15 years,” Lyon says. “The best thing to do, if you’re making firewood, is to keep it local. Pay attention to where your wood is coming from and be aware of how its been treated.”
Innovating has allowed Wisconsin’s forest products industry to stay ahead, he says. One example is using small particles of wood to produce items that are typically made of plastic or oil.
“Any of the plastic containers, even glass too, it substitutes that, so eyeglasses,” he says. “It hasn’t been really produced commercially yet but hopefully here within the decade or so we’ll see more of that increase for that product.”
More Unique Products
- biochar (made from material typically left in the woods after logging, like treetops) used for water filtration
- fine building materials: cabinets, doors, and flooring
- food packaging materials: popcorn bags and peanut butter cup wrappers
- hygiene products: paper towel, toilet paper, even toilet seats
- meat smoking materials: sawdust used in liquid smoke or pellets
- canoe paddles
- mass timber (lumber laminated together to make large beams) is used in The Ascent building in Milwaukee’s East Town neighborhood, marked as the tallest mass timber structure in the world
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