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Into the Woods - Blog

We regularly post fresh content to our Into the Woods blog. Some posts are pulled from our print Into the Woods newsletter, and others are online-only exclusives. They range from quick takes on current events, to news and research connected to the New England woods, to stories of the people and places that inspire local forest conservation. Bookmark this page to look for new stories as they're published, or subscribe below to our Into the Woods email bulletin for alerts about new content.

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We welcome suggestions for future Into the Woods online topics! Please email your ideas to Tinsley Hunsdorfer at thunsdorfer@newenglandforestry.org.

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25Aug

A Conservation Journey

How a childhood interest in nature and building wooden boats led to James Donovan protecting 350 acres of working Maine forestland Writing by Tinsley Hunsdorfer, photo of First Light Boatworks’ wooden power boats (above) by Christopher Smith Photography NY/Cape Cod This past winter, NEFF celebrated a land-protection win that served as the perfect cap to […]
By New England Forestry Foundation • Posted August 25, 2020
22Jun

NEFF Launches Climate Challenge

Want to help reduce the climate crisis and create a more livable New England? Join the Forest-to-Cities Climate Challenge Writing by Jennifer Shakun, Frank Lowenstein and Tinsley Hunsdorfer. New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF) is pleased to announce the official launch of its Forest-to-Cities Climate Challenge, NEFF’s newest initiative and a key component of our climate […]
By New England Forestry Foundation • Posted June 22, 2020
07May

Mass Timber’s Breakthrough

Writing by Frank Lowenstein, photo of a cross-laminated timber slab by Charlie Reinertsen It’s looking like 2020 is going to be the year mass timber breaks into the mainstream. Here are five articles out since the new year that look at different aspects of the mass timber construction movement, as well as two articles from […]
By New England Forestry Foundation • Posted May 7, 2020
27Feb
RISD dorm made with CLT

New study on building with wood and global climate change has New England regional implications, part 2

By Robert Perschel, Executive Director, New England Forestry Foundation, and R. Alec Giffen, Senior Science and Policy Fellow, Clean Air Task Force. Photo by John Horner, courtesy of Rhode Island School of Design. In Part 1 of this blog, we reviewed new research from Churkina et al. (2020) that provides further evidence of the significant […]
By New England Forestry Foundation • Posted February 27, 2020
31Jan
RISD dorm made with CLT

New study on building with wood and global climate change has New England regional implications, part 1

By Robert Perschel, Executive Director, New England Forestry Foundation, and R. Alec Giffen, Senior Science and Policy Fellow, Clean Air Task Force. Photo by John Horner, courtesy of Rhode Island School of Design. A new report from an international team of scientists concludes that managing forests better and using engineered wood products to build tall […]
By New England Forestry Foundation • Posted January 31, 2020
13Nov
RISD dorm made with CLT

The Latest From NEFF’s Initiatives

New England Forestry Foundation’s initiatives continue to drive forward innovation in conservation and sustainable forestry. Keep reading for three key programs’ progress reports from fiscal year 2018-2019. You can also get an in-depth update about our landowner outreach initiative by clicking here. Photo: Rhode Island School of Design’s North Hall, the first cross-laminated timber-steel hybrid […]
By New England Forestry Foundation • Posted November 13, 2019
13May
A new building made with cross-laminated timber

Forest-to-Cities Climate Challenge

Connecting forest owners, mass timber manufacturers, architects, builders, and housing experts to create a more sustainable New England and reduce the climate crisis. Writing by Frank Lowenstein and Bob Perschel “There are no separate systems. The world is a continuum,” wrote famed environmental thinker Donella Meadows in her book, Thinking in Systems: A Primer. “Where […]
By New England Forestry Foundation • Posted May 13, 2019
11Feb
Snow-covered oak logs

What Is Exemplary Forestry and Why Does It Matter?

Since the New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF) was founded nearly 75 years ago, it has had a twin focus—land conservation and improving forest management. The results of our perspective on forest management are clear: after decades of management and multiple harvests, NEFF’s more than 145 Community Forests have extensive regeneration, large mature trees, and large […]
By New England Forestry Foundation • Posted February 11, 2019
25Sep
A University of British Columbia building made with mass timber

Build It With Wood’s Big Year

Writing by Build It With Wood Project Leader Nicole St. Clair Knobloch, photography by Pollux Chung. Last year, NEFF commissioned an analysis on the potential for a mill to produce cross-laminated timber (CLT) from New England wood. The work showed that CLT could be a viable regional forest product and building material, so we got […]
By New England Forestry Foundation • Posted September 25, 2018
22Aug

Mass Timber Mills Coming to Maine — but where and when?

The mass timber supply chain is coming to New England but where and when, exactly, remains an open question. In February of this year, two companies announced they would be opening cross-laminated timber (CLT) factories in Maine within eighteen to twenty-four months. SmartLam, LLC of Montana committed to announcing a mill site as did North Carolina-based […]
By 36creative • Posted August 22, 2018