Wood is a uniquely sustainable material. It excels in this regard over alternatives like plastic, steel, and concrete because of three key properties: it is renewable, it stores carbon for at least the lifetime of the product it is used in, and its production results in comparatively fewer carbon emissions. Visit the Climate Benefits page to learn more about the sustainability properties of wood.
Image credit: USDA Forest Service
By choosing wood products, builders, designers, and consumers can leverage their purchasing decisions for the good of the planet. In addition to mass timber, there are many innovative goods that are now made with wood in place of less sustainable choices. The following resources provide information to identify and source wood products from New England.
Find New England Wood Products
- Maine Wood Guide from Local Wood WORKS
- New Hampshire Local Wood Directory from University of New Hampshire Extension
- Vermont Wood Products Directory from Vermont Wood Works Council
- Vermont Forest and Wood Products Asset Map from Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative
- Western Mass Wood Products Directory from Massachusetts Woodlands Institute/Franklin Land Trust
- Connecticut Primary Wood Processor Directory from Connecticut Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection—Forestry Division
- Rhode Island Wood Products Directory from Rhode Island Woods and University of Rhode Island. Explore the “Local Businesses” tab for additional forest product categories.
Linking Wood Products and Sustainable Forestry
A fundamental element of many sustainable forest management plans is the removal of unhealthy, low-quality, and small-diameter trees in order to promote the growth of those that are healthy. Removing unhealthy and smaller trees, however, is only feasible if a landowner can recover the costs of doing so. Additionally, sustainable forestry also requires economic incentives to grow large trees, which store significant amounts of carbon. Because of these requirements, sustainable, long-term forestry depends on markets into which landowners can sell their timber. Landowners seeking to practice sustainable forestry need to be able to sell into markets for both low-quality, small-diameter logs—defined as deformed, knotty, damaged by rot or pests, and/or less than 12 inches in diameter—and high-quality, large diameter logs—defined as straight, without knots or other blemishes, and greater than 12 inches in diameter.
Through the effect of markets on landowner decision-making, demand for diverse wood products can promote healthy forests. The table below provides examples of wood products made from low-quality, small-diameter or high-quality, large-diameter logs. Consumers and decision-makers can use their purchasing power to support sustainable forestry by choosing these products, especially those that have received third-party certification.