society of american foresters western forester · the 2015 international building codewas the first...

BY BRIAN BRASHAW

Mass timber, woodenergy, torrefiedfuels, cellulose nano-materials, advancedbiofuels, and biocharare new product andmarket opportunitiesthat augment tradi-tional forest markets for lumber, pulpand paper, wood pellets, and structuralpanels.

This issue of the Western Foresterhighlights these emerging productsand their markets, identifying the keyinvestments, research, and partner-ships that are working to expand andcreate new markets for forest products.A healthy forest products industry isone tool for supporting forest manage-ment, and healthy markets for the fullrange of forest products is essential for hav-ing a healthy industry. Simply, strong mar-kets for forest products improve forest healthand resilience, and support key benefits likeclean water, clean air, wildlife habitat, andrecreation opportunities.

Mass timber includes new innovationproducts like cross-laminated lumber (CLT),mass plywood, and nail and dowel-laminatedlumber. When combined with traditionalglue-laminated (glulam) and laminatedveneer lumber, new options exist for buildingmid and tall timber buildings. The USDAForest Service, in partnership with others, hassupported key research, education, technicalassistance, and special initiatives to supportthis expanding opportunity. Technical expertsfrom Woodworks have supported over 440

Wood Innovations are Creating ImportantForestry Opportunities

S O C I E T Y O F A M E R I C A N F O R E S T E R S

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 2)

October/November/December 2018 Oregon • Washington State • Inland Empire • Alaska Societies Volume 63 • Number 4

Western Forester

In This Issue: Wood Innovation

CREDIT: LEERS WEINZAPFEL ASSOCIATES, PHOTO: ALEXANDER SCHREYER

The John W. Olver Design Building at UMass Amherst is one of the mostadvanced mass timber buildings in the US, a four-story, 87,500-square-footstructure that exemplifies the university’s commitment to sustainability.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEVER ARCHITECTURE

Located in Portland, the four-story Albina Yard office building includesa glulam frame and CLT panels, all locally manufactured.

mass timber projects that are in design,or where construction has been startedor completed. This cohesive work has

created opportunities for western USmass timber companies like D.R.Johnson, Freres Lumber, Smartlam,Euclid Timber, Vaagen Timber, andKaterra to build new manufacturingplants, creating expanded markets forlumber while supporting rural eco-

nomic development. Building codechanges have been adopted in Oregon,and a pending vote by the InternationalCode Committee will add three moreclasses of tall wood buildings from7-18 stories, creating an exciting newdemand.

Wood energy is still an importantuse for sawmill residues, thinning, andother harvest woody biomass that havelimited or no markets. Modern, cleanand efficient thermal energy and com-bined heat and power plants use signif-icant volumes of wood in the North-west, but face market challenges fromlow-cost fossil fuels. To create newopportunities, Oregon Torrefaction isbuilding a plant in John Day, Oregon, toprocess low-grade forest materials intoa coal replacement using a torrefactionroasting technology. This durable andweather-resistant briquette can be usedto offset or replace coal in power plantswith minimal modification since itgrinds and burn like coal.

The U.S. Endowment for Forestsand Communities, USDA ForestService Forest Products Laboratory,and other public and private partnershave joined to form P3Nano, a partner-ship focused on research and imple-mentation of cellulosic nanomaterials,materials that have unique benefitswhen added at a nano scale to otherproducts. Key research and demonstra-tion projects are being completed toassess options for their use in concrete,plastic films, automotive panels, coat-ings and lubricants, and electronics.

Advanced liquid biofuels andbiochar are also emerging products,with new investments driven by sus-tainability goals by customers. RedRock Biofuels broke ground in July

2 WESTERN FORESTER ◆ OCTOBER/NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

Next Issue: Collaborative Forest Management

Wood Innovations areCreating Opportunities(CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE)

Western ForesterSociety of American Foresters

4033 S.W. Canyon Rd. • Portland, OR 97221 • 503-224-8046www.nwoffice.forestry.org/northwest-office/western-forester-archive

Editor: Lori Rasor, [email protected] Forester is published four times a year by the Oregon, Washington State,

Inland Empire, and Alaska Societies’ SAF Northwest Office

State Society Chairs

Oregon: Fran Cafferata Coe, 503-680-7939,[email protected]

Washington State: Paul Wagner,360-436-0089, [email protected]

Inland Empire: Phil Aune, 509-464-1409,[email protected]

Alaska: Jeremy Douse, CF, 907-452-8251,[email protected]

Northwest SAF Board Members

District 1: Tom Hanson, Forestry andArboriculture Consultant, ArborInfo LLC,206-300-9711, [email protected];www.ArborInfo.com

District 2: Mike Cloughesy, Oregon ForestResources Institute, 503-329-1014,[email protected]

Anyone is at liberty to make fair use of the material in this publication. To reprint or make multiple reproduc-tions, permission must be obtained from the editor. Proper notice of copyright and credit to the WesternForester must appear on all copies made. Permission is granted to quote from the Western Forester if thecustomary acknowledgement accompanies the quote.

Other than general editing, the articles appearing in this publication have not been peer reviewed for techni-cal accuracy. The individual authors are primarily responsible for the content and opinions expressed herein.

Please send change of address to:Society of American Foresters, 10100 Laureate Way, Bethesda, MD 20814

[email protected]

Norm MichaelsForestry LLC

Forest management tomeet your goals

• Management Plans • Reforestation• Timber inventory • Timber cruising

Over 40 years managing forests inOregon and Washington

[email protected]

2018 on a renewable fuels productionfacility in Oregon, focused on usingwoody biomass waste products.Organizations like the US BiocharInitiative are providing important sup-port to uses and product options forbiochar. While the current market forbiochar is small and regional, it isgrowing and creating new interest.

Innovations are not limited to pro-ducers. The North American ForestPartnership (NAFP) #forestproud com-munication platform represents adiverse partnership of over 110 mem-bers. NAFP is the most diverse forestsector coalition that has been estab-lished and is aligned to share an essen-tial story, proactively positioning thesector as relevant, responsible, andinnovative. By managing, conservingand sustainably harvesting forests, theforest sector can provide large-scalesolutions to pressing societal chal-lenges. High quality shareable contentis being produced by #forestproud,allowing partners to inform and sub-scribe to this content to: 1) build pridein their employees, making them more

effective and vocal ambassadors; 2)attract new and diverse talent to theworkforce; and 3) communicate therelevance of the sector to policymakers.For more information, search #forest-proud on your favorite social platformor at www.forestproud.org.

To support new markets, the USDAForest Service Wood InnovationsProgram has released their 2019 fund-ing program. Up to $8 million offunds are available to stimulate,expand, and support wood productsmarkets and wood energy markets tosupport forest management needs onNational Forest System and otherforestlands. More information can befound at https://bit.ly/2ANB48I.

While our forests face challengesfrom fire, insect and disease, and over-stocking, this issue provides key updateson partnership-driven efforts to supportand expand wood innovations. ◆

Brian Brashaw is the program managerfor the USDA Forest Service, ForestProducts Marketing Unit, based at theForest Products Laboratory. He can bereached at 218-626-4344 or [email protected].

WESTERN FORESTER ◆ OCTOBER/NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 3

www.greencrow.com

Certifiably Proudof the Washington

Tree Farm Program

BY ROBERT GLOWINSKI ANDDAVE TENNY

odern timberstructural sys-

tems developed forhigh-rise buildingdesign provide thefirst significant alter-native to buildingwith concrete andsteel in more than acentury. Achievingthis milestone is nosmall feat, given theflurry of activity fromcompeting industriesthat have aligned toprevent additionalmarket entrants.

Fortunately, theintroduction of these new systems isnot only a priority for the wood prod-ucts and forestry industries, but is alsobeing driven by innovative buildingdesigners, engineers, and researcherswho are seeing successful implemen-tation of tall wood buildings acrossCanada, Europe, and other parts of theworld. They are recognizing the grow-ing pressure to find renewable, low-carbon alternatives to incumbentstructural materials for use in develop-ment of the urban world, and are nat-urally turning to wood for a solution.

As detailed below, the US is making

substantial progress in achievingbroader acceptance for mass timberbuilding systems, but there is still workto be done. An immediate challenge isgaining recognition of tall mass timberbuildings in the 2021 edition of theInternational Building Code (IBC), themodel code adopted in almost all USjurisdictions. Additionally, the USCongress is considering language toencourage additional cooperativeresearch and development into masstimber construction that could furtherhelp change the way we build. Progressin both the building code and legisla-tive arenas will be a significant leap inmaking mass timber constructionmore widely possible in the UnitedStates.

Building codes

While heavy timber (Type IV con-struction in the current IBC) is one ofthe oldest wood construction methodsrecognized in building codes to date,innovative mass timber products havenow expanded what is possible withinthis category. And, as these innova-tions gain broader acceptance, con-struction standards are evolving tokeep up.

Notably, the International CodeCouncil (ICC) reviews and updates itsfamily of building codes on a three-year cycle. The 2015 InternationalBuilding Code was the first edition torecognize and provide specificationsfor cross-laminated timber (CLT), onetype of mass timber that has mostrecently garnered much of the designcommunity’s imagination. However,other mass timber products such asstructural composite lumber, laminat-ed strand lumber, laminated veneerlumber, oriented strand lumber, paral-lel strand lumber and glued laminatedtimber (glulam) have all been long-recognized in past versions of thebuilding codes.

ICC is currently undergoing theprocess of developing its 2021 editionof the building and fire code. Recogniz-ing the emergence of mass timber glob-ally, in 2015, ICC established an Ad HocCommittee on Tall Wood Buildings toresearch the building science of tall

wood buildings and make recommen-dations on how to extend its recogni-tion in the code. The committee wascomprised of 17 member-experts,including building and fire officials, fireprotection engineers, architects, struc-tural engineers, and representativesfrom all major materials groups. Aftertwo years of study that included full-scale compartment fire testing, thecommittee developed a package of 14tall mass timber code change proposals(https://bit.ly/2qw8Aug) that wouldallow for construction of mass timberbuildings up to 18 stories. These codechange proposals are in process andwill be finalized by ICC’s GovernmentalVoting Members later this month.Approval will result in their incorpora-tion into ICC’s 2021 building codes.

However, with mass timber con-struction already underway in severalUS locations, some states are eager toprovide guidance and incorporate con-struction provisions for tall mass tim-ber building into their current statecodes. For example, the state of Oregonbegan allowing tall mass timber con-struction under their unique code sys-tem as of August 2018. Similarly, thestate of Washington has passed a billsupporting the use of mass timber forbuilding construction “in a mannerthat ensures resilient, safe, and durablestructures.” The Washington State billrequires the state to adopt rules for


PHOTO COURTESY OF AMERICAN WOOD COUNCIL

Brock Commons dormitory is an18-story mass timber hybrid build-ing on the campus of the Universityof British Columbia.

Mass Timber RisesBuilding codes and federal legislation could be a winning combination

M

RobertGlowinski

Dave Tenny

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mass timber construction followingsuch adoption by ICC.

Timber Innovation Act

Within the US Congress, the biparti-san Timber Innovation Act (TIA) repre-sents another opportunity to expandthe understanding and markets formass timber construction. The billdirects the U.S. Forest Service to act onits existing mandate, “To sustain thehealth, diversity, and productivity of thenation’s forests and grasslands to meetthe needs of present and future genera-tions,” and provide research and devel-opment support for exploring, expand-ing, and accelerating mass timber use.

Encouragement from the federalgovernment to further develop thisemerging construction technology, asit has with other market innovations,will help drive the use of a renewableresource as a viable alternative to moreenergy and carbon intensive materials,as well as support infrastructure devel-opment and job creation in America’srural communities that have yet torecover from the Great Recession.

Mass timber construction is also awin for the environment. As anemerging market, it helps increasedemand for wood products. Researchshows that strong markets for woodproducts is the economic engine thatdrives investment in working forests,protecting them from conversion toother land uses, like development.Though it may seem counterintuitive,the more demand that exists for forest

products, the more likely forests willremain intact. Keeping forests asforests means cleaner air and water,more wildlife habitat and a variety ofother environmental benefits thatimprove overall quality of life for mil-lions of Americans.

Much of the TIA’s language is nowincluded in House and Senate FarmBills.

Adoption of the updated buildingcodes and passage of a Farm Bill con-taining the TIA will help bring masstimber to a tipping point that will helpus build the low carbon, energy effi-cient and environmentally superiorcommunities of tomorrow.

To learn more about the buildingcode process and tall mass timber codechange proposals, visit www.awc.org/tallmasstimber. Visit www.timberinno-vation.org for more information aboutTIA and the Farm Bill. ◆

Robert Glowinski is the president andCEO of the American Wood Council,which represents 86 percent of thestructural wood products industry.Dave Tenny is the president and CEO ofthe National Alliance of Forest Owners,which represents more than 46 millionacres of private working forests acrossthe United States.


PHOTO COURTESY OF AMERICAN WOOD COUNCIL

Mass timber samples shown during the “Timber City” exhibit at the NationalBuilding Museum in Washington, DC.

Variable ProbabilitySampling Workshop

March 25-29, 2019

Corvallis, Oregon

This course is offered as a service toforesters. Two popular methods oftimber cruising will be covered in detail:variable-plot sampling and 3-P sampling.

69 years of forestry education on Variable Probability Sampling.Registration is limited and early registration is recommended.

More information and to register online:

http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/variableprobability/

Questions about registration: 541-737-9300 or [email protected]

Leaders in Forestry Educationoffering over 69 years of

education on VariableProbability Sampling

BY JENNIFER COVER

ass timber isnewsworthy for

a lot of reasons. Itsstrength and dimen-sional stability makeit a renewable, sus-tainable and carbon-friendly alternativefor building applications—such asoffices, hotels and high-rises—wherewood isn’t typically considered.Because of the unique structural andfire-resistance characteristics of large,solid wood members, the InternationalBuilding Code also allows the use ofmass timber in exposed applications,creating exciting opportunities for amodern wood aesthetic. However,beyond their innovative uses and visu-al appeal, products such as cross-lami-nated timber (CLT) are part of a need-ed strategy for improving forest healthand reducing the frequency and severi-ty of wildfires.

There’s no need to give a forestrylesson to a readership of foresters, butwildfires are getting worse, and overlydense forests are part of the problem.In the west, for example, a paper pub-lished by the USDA Forest Service saysthat severe wildfires “have led to con-cerns about heavy surface fuel loadingand the potential for high-intensityreburning. Ponderosa pine (Pinusponderosa) forests, often overly densefrom a century of fire suppression, areincreasingly susceptible to large andsevere wildfires especially givenwarmer and drier climate projectionsfor the future.”

Mass timber products create anopportunity for large, solid structuralelements to be manufactured from rel-atively small-diameter trees as well asother traditionally low-value resources(such as forests affected by insects).This creates a market incentive for for-est thinning and other landscaperestoration efforts, which in turn helpsto reduce the risk of fire. This, alongwith the need to reinvigorate ruraleconomies, is part of the reason states

like Washington, Oregon, andCalifornia have developed policies orinitiatives to accelerate markets formass timber.

Growing the market

In the meantime, there are signsthat mass timber is already becomingentrenched as a viable option forNorth American building designers.

Product Innovation and Supply. In2011, when the first commercial CLTbuilding was constructed in the US,the product came from Europe. Thatmade sense; at the time, Europe hadmore than 20 years of mass timber his-tory and North America’s was justbeginning. Since then, a casual readerof architectural news might haveassumed that CLT is synonymous withmass timber. CLT is often included intaller wood buildings, here and inter-nationally, so it garners a lot of press.However, there are many types of masstimber products—all now readilyavailable in the US and Canada.

In addition to CLT, products in themass timber family include nail-laminated timber (NLT or nail-lam),glued-laminated timber (glulam, orGLT when referring to panel products),and dowel-laminated timber (DLT).Product innovation is continuous, anda relative newcomer to this group is themass plywood panel (MPP).

For CLT, an important nuance iswhether a manufacturing plant hasbeen certified to the ANSI/APA PRG-320Standard for Performance-Rated Cross-Laminated Timber, which provides abasis for standardization of CLT quality,manufacturing, and structural proper-ties for structural building applicationsin North America. Plants that are oper-ational and certified to the standard forbuilding applications include DRJohnson (Oregon), Nordic EngineeredWood (Quebec), SmartLAM (Montana),Structurlam (British Columbia), andKLH USA (Austria). Additional plantsthat have been announced and are inthe process of being certified includeInternational Beams (Alabama), Katerra(Washington), Vaagen Timbers(Washington), and Smartlam (north-east and southeast). There are also CLTplants such as Sterling Lumber thatproduce panels for rural roads and rig-ging mats, which don’t require certifica-tion for building use.

Mass Timber Projects. The programI lead, WoodWorks, provides educationand free project assistance related tothe design, engineering, and construc-tion of commercial and multi-familywood buildings. As such, we’ve had aunique opportunity not only to wit-ness the evolution of the mass timbertrend, but to help guide successfulprojects to fruition. In 2015, our tech-nical staff provided assistance on ahandful of buildings where the devel-oper, architect, or engineer had aninterest in using mass or heavy timber.


Mass Timber: Part of an EffectiveWildfire Reduction Strategy

M

CREDIT: MICHAEL GREEN ARCHITECTURE & DLR GROUP, PHOTO COREY GAFFER

At seven stories and 220,000 square feet, T3 Minneapolis demonstrated thefeasibility of large timber projects in the US. There are now at least two 12-story wood buildings in design in the Pacific Northwest.

In 2017, the number of projects hadgrown to 158, and we expect to sup-port close to 200 projects this year.

As part of our project supportefforts, we also have been trackingmass timber projects; as of October2018, our database included morethan 400 mass timber buildings thatare either completed, under construc-tion, or in design. This includes 23projects completed in California, 15 inWashington, and 14 in Oregon.

Availability of Experts. There is asymbiotic relationship between thedesign and building community’sinterest in developing mass timberexpertise and the availability of educa-tion and resources to do so. Eachdrives the other, and the result is anever-growing pool of professionalswho understand the nuances of masstimber building design.

Since 2013, for example, WoodWorkshas offered more than 460 mass timbereducation events. This has includednational CLT and tall wood sympo-siums, Wood Solutions Fairs, theInternational Mass Timber Conference(co-produced with the Forest BusinessNetwork), webinars, workshops, lunchseminars, and lunch and learns pre-sented in-house to design teams.WoodWorks has provided more than50,000 tall wood and mass timber edu-cation hours to over 30,000 design andbuilding professionals.

Governing influences

A discussion of the growing marketfor mass timber wouldn’t be completewithout recognizing the many factorsthat have made it possible—includingan unprecedented amount of research.

For example, seismic testing of vari-ous mass timber diaphragms and con-nections has been performed at sever-al US universities. Fire testing hasbeen performed at a component leveland an assembly level as required bycode, and at the full-building scale—which is well beyond code require-ments. This abundance of research,along with significant product testing,is the foundation of building codechanges and government policies thatare helping to facilitate the use of masstimber for a broader range of projects.Recent and pending changes to USbuilding codes are discussed in thearticle, Mass Timber Rises, on page 4.

CLT was prescriptively recognized inthe 2015 International Building Code(IBC). In 2016, the International CodeCouncil (ICC) appointed a committeeof building officials, fire officials, archi-tects, fire protection engineers, andindustry experts to examine and pro-pose appropriate code requirementsfor tall wood buildings. While ICCmembers voted on the proposals of theAd Hoc Committee on Tall WoodBuildings in October and November,Oregon became the first state toapprove them under its StatewideAlternate Method (SAM), allowingdesign professionals to prescriptivelydesign mass timber buildings up to 18-stories in height. Washington is poisedto adopt the proposals in July 2019.

For more information, theThink Wood Research Library(http://research.thinkwood.com) isa central resource for mass timberand other wood building-relatedresearch from around the world.

How you can help?

For some building types, it isn’tcommon to consider wood—large uni-versity buildings, for example, or bigbox stores. If you hear about a majornon-residential project being consid-ered in your community, let us know.Connect us with the developer ordesign team if you know them.WoodWorks has a team of wood

design experts, including architectsand engineers. As a non-profit USForest Service partner, we can provideinformation on wood’s performancecapabilities based on the needs of theproject, offer details on a code path,and respond to issues that arisethroughout design and construction—all at no cost to the design and con-struction team. Email us [email protected]. ◆

Jennifer Cover is a California-licensedprofessional engineer and President/CEO of WoodWorks. Her background isin structural design, project manage-ment, and strategic planning. Prior toWoodWorks, she was an adjunct pro-fessor teaching timber design at theUniversity of California, San Diego. Shecan be reached at [email protected].


More than 400 mass timber projects have either been built or are in designacross the US. California has the most completed projects (23), followed byMassachusetts (16), Washington (15), and Oregon (14).

Tom [email protected]

206 300 9711www.arborinfo.com

Providing information about trees and forests


BY MICHAEL GOERGEN

t the U.S.Endowment

for Forestry andCommunities(Endowment) we arefocused on keepingforests as forests andcreating familywaged jobs in communities thatdepend upon forests. We believevibrant and diverse markets are essen-tial to achieve our mission. Mostlandowners need markets to keep theirforests healthy and financially viable.

But markets don’t last forever.Buggy whips evaporated with theModel T’s emergence on America’sroads. Plenty of forest products mar-kets have gone away or are on thedecline. Newsprint anyone? At theEndowment we are working to bringinnovation to the forest sector anddevelop new markets, whether tradi-tional or non-traditional, such as find-ing ways for landowners to get paid forthings like water, which they largelyprovide for free.

When specifically looking at forestproducts, we see opportunities inareas where there is modest invest-ment and where our resources can

make a difference in accelerating mar-ket development. A good example ismass timber construction.

In most parts of the US, buildingcodes do not allow wood constructionabove six stories—a serious limitation.The Endowment and its partners areworking to make taller wood buildingsreality. We are working with the U.S.Forest Service’s Forest ProductsLaboratory to demonstrate the safetyof tall wood construction. From firetesting to earthquake simulations, ithas been demonstrated that woodperforms as good or better than tradi-tional building materials. We are work-ing to create the opportunity to buildup to 18 stories out of wood. Severalpartners have joined together to show-case this research to the InternationalCode Council, opening new marketsfor wood and opportunities forforesters to continue managing foreststo produce high-quality saw logs. Mostcross-laminated timber consists of 2x6or 2x8 boards of spruce and fir.

While saw logs are important, weknow that low-value markets are justas important. The Endowment is mak-ing investments in torrefied woodmade from low-value wood and resid-uals (see companion piece by JoeKoerner on page 20).

U.S. Endowment Brings Innovationto the Forest Sector

A

U.S. Endowment forForestry Facts

The U.S. Endowment forForestry and Communities, Inc.(Endowment) is a not-for-profit cor-poration established as part of the2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement(SLA). The Endowment is one ofthree entities designated to share ina one-time infusion of funds to sup-port “meritorious initiatives” in theUS. It has been endowed with $200million under the terms of the SLA.

The SLA designated three pur-poses for use of the funds, and theEndowment was charged to advancetwo of those: (1) Educational andcharitable causes in timber-reliantcommunities; and (2) Educationaland public interest projects thataddress forest management issuesthat affect timber-reliant communi-ties, or the sustainability of forestsas sources of building materials,wildlife habitat, bio-energy, recre-ation, and other values.

As a perpetual endowment, the$200 million corpus is invested inbroad financial markets. If depend-ing only on funds generated fromthe corpus on an annual basis,$8-10 million/year is available toadvance Endowment purposes.

The Endowment targets it fundsusing filters of seeking systemic,transformative, and sustainablechange; moving the needle onseemingly intractable problemswhere few others will engage; bring-ing together coalitions of interestedparties to address areas of concern;and taking risks to use creativesolutions to advance their mission.

Areas of investment concentratein seven focal initiatives using amarket-based approach: retainingand growing traditional marketssuch as lumber and paper; advanc-ing non-traditional markets likewater; innovation and new markets;wood-to-energy; forest retention;forest health; and asset creation(working with disadvantaged popu-lations to broaden the forestry tent).

For more information on theendowment, visit www.usendow-ment.org.

We are also exploringcellulosic nanomaterials(CN), which can also bemade from lower valuewood. CN are the basicbuilding blocks of treesand have unique anddesirable properties at thenanoscale. A nanometer isvery small, about 1/20ththe width of a human hair.Strange things happen atthe nano scale: gold isactually a pink or red coloras a nanoparticle; silvercan eliminate odors; andin the case of cellulose, thematerial has the strengthof steel at 1/5th the weight.CN have very promisingapplications.

For example, coatingfiberglass with CN canyield a car bumper that is20% lighter with the same strength.Lighter car parts equal better gasmileage, which is good for consumersand the environment. Packaging canbe made stronger and lighter. The vis-cosity of paints and coatings can beimproved. Production of oil and gaswells can be enhanced. The mostimmediate market appears to be con-crete. By adding a small amount of CNto concrete, a stronger product can bedeveloped that reduces CO2 emissionsby about 15%.

New, disruptive markets are diffi-cult to open. While adding tiny bits ofwood to concrete may seem like itwon’t make much of a difference, it’simportant to understand that world-wide 4 trillion tons of concrete areused. We are not trying to replaceexisting additives in a concrete mix. Infact, by adding CN, manufacturers willbe able to use less cement in the con-crete mix, saving them money. Evenwith the many environmental winsfrom using CN in concrete, it’s the costsavings that will accelerate adoption.Disruption that reduces costs is thekind of disruption industry likes.

One of the biggest long-term chal-lenges our industry faces is its lack ofinvestment in innovation. Innovationis expensive, and our sector is notmaking the investments necessary tokeep up. The average investment inresearch and development in the US

manufacturing sector is 3.4% of sales.In the forest sector it is 0.5% of sales.The Endowment’s investments cannotmake up for this lack of investment.However, we can showcase what ispossible and draw attention to assetslike the Forest Products Laboratory(FPL) that are in desperate need ofreinvestment and reimagination.During World War II, the lab had 725employees; today, it has just 141, only50 of whom are researchers. FPL suc-cesses and innovations from the 1950s

to 1980s are still yieldingbenefits sustaining today’slifestyles. Without invest-ments made today, whatwill our future look like?And what are our competi-tors investing in to replaceforest products?

The Endowment is notlooking at innovationthrough the lens of what’spossible for the future ofthe forest products indus-try. We are thinking aboutthe forest. We believe thatmarkets help keep forestsas forests. We invest in themarkets of today andtomorrow to ensure thatlandowners continue tofind the value in their for-est that encourages man-agement and investment

that is so vital to our forestlands. Ourefforts today are developing productsthat ensure that consumers will con-tinue to make forest products theirfirst choice. And those forest productswill help us manage and sustain whatwe have on the land today. ◆

Michael Goergen is vice presidentInnovation, and director, P3Nano,located in Bethesda, Maryland. He can be reached at 240-475-5741 [email protected].


PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL GOERGEN

Students at Oregon State University preparing concretesamples from the first full-scale commercial test of cellulosenanomaterial-enhanced concrete.

FAIRWEATHERBIOMETRICS, LLC

Consulting services inforest biometricsand applied statistics

Stephen E. Fairweather, PH.D., ACF

[email protected]

REBECCA WALLACE

s the onlynational labora-

tory of the USDAForest Service,research at the ForestProducts Laboratory(FPL) promoteshealthy forests andforest-based economies through theefficient, sustainable use of wood. Thelong-term health of our nation’s forestsdepends on sound conservation prac-tices, including wise use. Efficient useof forest resources is a forest manage-ment tool that can improve resilienceto natural disturbances such as wild-fires, invasive species, and a changingclimate.

For more than 100 years, FPL hasbeen developing innovative ways touse one of the world’s oldest buildingproducts. Today, one of those innova-tions is in mass timber, as researchersstudy the performance of materialslike cross-laminated timber (CLT),which make building taller structuresout of wood possible.

CLT is made from layers of driedlumber boards stacked in alternating

direction at 90-degree angles, glued,and pressed to form solid panels.These panels have exceptionalstrength and stability and can be usedas walls, roofs, and floors. Researchersat the lab have been studying CLTfrom many angles, including strengthproperties; fire, seismic, and moistureperformance; and even their ability towithstand explosions.

FPL researchers recently recreatedfive fire scenarios in a two-story, full-scale test building constructed usingCLT. The tests demonstrated that it ispossible to build a CLT structure that’sfire resistant, even with exposed CLT.Results from these tests will not onlyhelp inform building codes, but alsoprovide useful information for proper-ty insurance groups, contribute tomore accurate fire behavior modeling,and lead to safer firefighting in CLTbuildings.

Researchers also conducted a seriesof blast tests on two-story structuresmade of CLT. The objective of thesestudies was to demonstrate the capa-bility of CLT structures to resist airblastloads, thereby allowing the military toincorporate mass timber materialsinto their construction projects. The

structures survived blasts with chargeslarge enough to potentially causelethal injuries.

Another critical part of the missionof FPL is to develop wood productsthat help pay for forest management.“On many forests where small diame-ter trees need to be removed toimprove forest health, there must beproduct opportunities for that materi-al that pay all costs, including loggingand transportation,” says Alan Rudie,FPL assistant director.

Thinning overgrown forests canreduce fire intensity and reduce therisk of beetle infestations, but theprocess is costly. Rudie explains howFPL researchers are looking to offsetthose costs by focusing on derivingchemicals with higher value than fuelsfrom wood, and cellulose nanomateri-als with high value as reinforcementmaterials in composites and as rheolo-gy modifiers.

Cellulose nanomaterials—woodbroken down to the miniscule nano-scale—have incredible properties withstrength greater than steel at one-fifththe weight, and are produced from arenewable resource, no less. Examplesof potential uses for these materialsinclude automotive and aircraft parts,food packaging, biomedical applica-tions, and even “green” computer andcell phone components.

Cellulose nanomaterials are alreadysolving problems in a variety of indus-tries, as they are being used to keepthings flowing for oil drilling inCanada and ink pens in Japan, keepdiaper odors in check, and keep swim-


PHOTO COURTESY OF PURDUE LIFE SCIENCESMICROSCOPY CENTER

Cellulose nanocrystals as seenthrough a transmission electronmicroscope. Adding cellulose nano-materials to concrete can improveits tensile strength by 30 percent.

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University found that adding cellulosenanomaterials to concrete canimprove its tensile strength by 30 per-cent. Engineers and scientists atOregon State University then helpedbring the research to reality by con-ducting practical tests with a concretetruck and pours into various sized ves-sels to observe the material’s proper-ties. This research paved the way forthe next step: a bridge recently built inCalifornia to test and demonstrate thecapabilities of the material in a real-world application.

One aspect of research in FPL’sCenter for Wood Anatomy Researchrelates to the forensic identification ofwood, which can also be important forforest products markets. According to

FPL botanist Alex Wiedenhoeft, forestproducts derived from illegal loggingare estimated to depress prices in theAmerican forest products market bymore than $1 billion per year. “The useof forensic wood anatomical tech-niques can be an integral part of forestproduct supply chain managementand can help ensure the validity of cer-tified forest products, as well as help-ing protect the global market frominfluxes of illegally logged material,”

says Wiedenhoeft.FPL is working to capitalize on the

wide range of research to support mar-kets and implementation. Through theForest Products Marketing Unit(FPMU) and the Forest Service WoodInnovations network, market develop-ment efforts include applied research,outreach, technical assistance, and var-ious special initiatives. Beyond theresearch work in CLT and cellulosenanomaterials, FPMU is working toexpand existing and emerging tech-nologies and markets for torrefaction,biochar, wood energy for heat andpower, thermal modified lumber, biofu-els, and biochemicals.

These and a host of other researchprojects are conducted with the goals ofhealthy forests and healthy economiesin mind. FPL research stimulates eco-nomic resilience in many sectors,including bioenergy, housing, tourism,and packaging and paper, all whilehelping remove barriers for innovativeideas to reach the marketplace. By pro-ducing high-quality, science-basedinnovation, FPL research quite literallyimproves the safety, comfort, and well-being of every American, every day. ◆

Rebecca Wallace is a public affairs spe-cialist at the USDA Forest Service’sForest Products Laboratory in Madison,Wisconsin. She can be reached at 608-231-9275 or [email protected].


PHOTO COURTESY OF FOREST PRODUCTS LABORATORY

FPL researchers conducted a series of fire tests on a full-sized two-storyCLT structure that showed it is possible to build a fire-resistant buildingusing CLT.

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BY EVAN SCHMIDT

s the author of“Wood: Craft,

Culture, History”points out, wood isoften perceived as socommon that thelayperson tends tounderestimate itscomplexity, range of uses, and poten-tial for innovative applications. I thinkit may have taken an entire year of mygraduate studies in Wood Science andEngineering for my family to graspthat not only was “Wood Science” areal thing, but that I was also studyingit. I remember the Thanksgiving after Ibegan at Oregon State University,when my aunt politely asked me whatit was that I was researching (with astrategically full wine glass), and Iremember the next Thanksgivingwhen she timidly asked, “Wait…whatexactly is wood science again?”

I don’t blame her, it’s difficult formost people to get excited about cellu-lose, or to see wood beyond its typicalapplications. What really made it stickfor her, though, was to hear a storyabout wood science and engineeringthat always stirs intrigue: the story of

tall wooden buildings. Often, I haveseen dubious curiosity turn to trueamazement as someone is led tounderstand that not only can we build8-, 12-, and even 18-story buildingsfrom wood, but that across NorthAmerica we are in fact already begin-ning to do so. These tall, wood build-ings use large structural wooden ele-ments commonly referred to as masstimber in conjunction with, or in lieuof, conventional materials such assteel and concrete.

These mass timber elements havegood strength-to-weight ratios, areeasy to manufacture and machine,and are characterized by rapid con-structability, good seismic perform-ance, and visual appeal. Cross-lami-nated timber (CLT)—large structuralpanels made of wood studs laminatedtogether in alternating layers of 90degrees—has become the iconic prod-uct for this new building movement.

These buildings are more than justimpressive feats of engineering.Wood’s relatively low processing ener-gy, high capacity for carbon sequestra-tion, and resource renewability makesit a sustainable material alternative forbuilding construction, an industry thatcontributes more greenhouse gasemissions than any other sector glob-ally. Mass timber is rejuvenating inter-

est in wood products because it tells astory that people want and need tohear: that with proper management ofour forests and with innovative designsolutions, there is a healthy and sus-tainable path forward.

“What about fire?” and, “Is it strongenough?” are a few questions peopleask regarding use of wood in largebuildings. In answering such questions,I try to first point to history—namelythat wood has served as an excellentmaterial in large-scale applications formillennia, and that engineered woodproducts have been around for over150 years. The assembly room at KingEdward VI College in the UK, as anexample, has a still-standing glulamroof structure dating all the way back to1866. And while wood is technically acombustible material, mass timbercomponents burn much more slowlyand predictably than light-frame hol-low-wall construction because of howwood chars. Engineers have traditional-ly met fire ratings for glulam beams byadding additional material, i.e., a “sacri-ficial layer” of wood that is allowed toslowly char, and which protects thecore structural area of the timber in thecase of a fire. Massive wooden mem-bers perform so well in fire, in fact, thatthey can be used instead of a fire-retar-dant foam to protect steel elementsfrom exposure.

A new College of Forestry andthe TallWood Design Institute

While there is a lot of current inter-est surrounding mass timber, and agreat deal known about its generalperformance, there are still barriers toerecting these structures in the UnitedStates. Since there are many variablesin how a building is assembled, andmany parameters of performance(e.g., acoustics, durability, fire, connec-tor performance), mass timber proj-ects generally still require customresearch, engineering, and design toassure they pass or exceed modernbuilding code requirements. In addi-tion, there is a need to develop boththe material supply chain for theseprojects (i.e., CLT panels, from timber


TallWood Design Institute: Oregon State andUniversity of Oregon Unite to Test Tall Timber

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC JEPSEN

CLTs are structural panelscomprised of alternating layersof dimension lumber, laminatedtogether at right angles.

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harvest, to manufacturing and fabrica-tion) as well as a knowledgeable andskilled workforce at the manufactur-ing, design, and installation levels. Tothat end, the scientific research anddesign/manufacture/build communi-ties, along with government entities,have collaborated over the last fewyears to investigate, validate, andimprove the performance of mass tim-ber products and building systems.One outcome of this collaborativepush has been the creation of theTallWood Design Institute in 2015.

The TallWood Design Institute (TDI)is an industry-oriented mass timberresearch and design collaborationbetween Oregon State University (OSU)and University of Oregon (UO), createdto help overcome knowledge and work-force barriers to mass timber adoption.More specifically, TDI is comprised of anetwork of associated researchers in theColleges of Forestry (OSU), Engineering(OSU), and Design (UO) that collabo-rate together and with industry to buildon knowledge of mass timber perform-ance (such as fire and seismic behav-ior). The disciplines of wood science,civil engineering, and architecture formthe backbone of TDI’s work, which isbased on three pillars: 1) applied masstimber research; 2) product testing anddevelopment; and 3) education, out-reach, and workforce training.

TDI is housed at the College ofForestry at OSU and will occupy itsnew headquarters—the Emersonlab—after construction is completedin summer of 2019. The Emerson labwill be a 15,000 square foot, state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing andstructural testing facility used to test,prototype, and teach. Emerson willhave the capacity to produce panelsand beams, as well as to cut intricateconnections and test up to three-storystructures. The lab—part of a series ofTDI’s available and slated testing facil-ities—is located adjacent to the newforestry building (Peavy Hall), which isalso currently under construction.

Both facilities are utilizing innova-tive wood products made in Oregon,including CLT produced by DRJohnson and mass plywood panelsproduced by Freres Lumber.

Peavy Hall is a unique structure formultiple reasons, including the factthat it is a “living laboratory” (short-

and long-term research is being con-ducted on the structure itself) and hasthe country’s first seismically resistanttimber rocking shear wall system. Butreally, the reason why Peavy is specialis because it symbolizes—in a beauti-ful space and tangible way—the will tocollaborate and push for innovativechange toward a better future. PeavyHall captures the fact that forestry,resource management, and the builtenvironment are intimately connect-ed, and I can think of no better materi-al than wood to connect us in our

homes and places of work to our natu-ral forest resources. My aunt maynever know what cellulose is, but shecertainly knows how wood can warmup a room and has never forgottenabout tall wood buildings. ◆

Evan Schmidt is the outreach coordina-tor for TallWood Design Institute atOregon State University in Corvallis.General inquiries about the TallWoodDesign Institute can be directed [email protected].


PHOTO COURTESY OF TALLWOOD DESIGN INSTITUTE

Peavy Hall—the College of Forestry’s headquarters—was redesigned in masstimber. Here a CLT shear wall is assembled at the construction site. Peavywill be outfitted with hundreds of sensors, that will monitor structural andmoisture performance over time, giving direct feedback to designers.

BY RUSS VAAGEN

t’s time to build aright-sized indus-

try that adds value tothe by-products offorest restoration. Weneed to discoverwhat kinds of mate-rials and how muchwill be generated over time with a newforest restoration program on federal,state, and other forestlands. We needto take this data and align it with exist-ing and new mill infrastructure. Thesemills are the physical and financialtools needed to manage our forests.Many mills already exist, but more willbe needed.

Much of this can be done by remov-ing some of the self-imposed ForestService policy constraints. My desire isto see the private sector, collaborativegroups, and the Forest Service cometogether to build upon our successes.We need to make projects scalable andadapt them to each unique landscape.As we do this, we will be building asustainable supply for the infrastruc-ture of the future. State, tribal, and pri-vate forests will also benefit.

What does this future infrastructurelook like? Mills will need to focus onefficiently using small- and medium-

sized logs, which will be the mostabundant core supply. Many of thecompanies successfully engaging incollaboration and Forest Service con-tracts have already invested in neces-sary technologies for the future. Themills that are in place need to be pro-vided with enough supply to investand expand. Stability and quality oflog supply will provide the confidenceto invest in areas currently devoid ofmilling infrastructure. This is the onlyway to finance wide-scale forestrestoration. This work should morethan pay for itself and current focusneeds to be directed to areas that gen-erate the most retained receipts.

The importance of mass timber

Mass timber is a very importantdevelopment for all forests and relatedindustries. It occurs to me that noteveryone in the forest industry under-stands the benefits that mass timberpresents. The most obvious is theamount of wood used per square footof structure. We have the opportunity togo from studs at every 16” in walls andjoists in the floor to solid wood, three tofive layers thick. Think about howmuch wood that is. This will providemore consistent markets and valueover time that should increase and sta-bilize the market for logs and lumber.

If we see product adoption like what

has been witnessed in Europe andother parts of the world, this could havea dramatic effect on lumber consump-tion as a whole. If we start to see woodbeing used in buildings from 7 to 18stories in place of steel and concretestructures, the effect could be pro-found. In October of 2018, new prelimi-nary additions to the InternationalBuilding Codes were approved forbuildings up to 18 stories. Once thisbecomes permanent and more widelyaccepted, this will drive a seriousexpansion for the use of wood.

Forest Service and collaboration

The Forest Service has also takennotice of mass timber and sees this asan opportunity to restore more acres.If the Forest Service can put together anew program that allows them to exe-cute on larger contracts over a longerduration, investors may look to putmoney into facilities in places likenorth central Washington, southernIdaho, eastern Oregon, Montana,Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, NewMexico, Utah, California, Nevada, andeven Alaska.

In my experience, the collaborativegroups are eager and ready to go fur-ther and faster than the Forest Service.The reasons for this include: notenough budget, not enough staff, wait-ing to hear back from the regionaloffice, and leadership changes. Howmany of these could be solved orimproved with policy changes? Policyis part of it, but attitude is another.

We need to inspire confidence inpeople to make decisions to try newthings. Collaborative groups have donemuch of this heavy lifting. We have seensolutions develop that are creating reallog volume to mills. Now we need theForest Service, at the highest levels, tohelp these collaboratives do more. Thevolunteer groups have been providingan incredible service to our publiclands. It’s time for the Forest Service torecognize the value of collaboration byputting money, resources, and projectsto support it.

If we can combine the efforts of col-laboratives with new changes to poli-cy, we might have a fighting chance tosave our forests from wildfires, insects,


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and disease. The Forest Service is start-ing to realize this. Forest Service ChiefVicki Christiansen needs to continue toapply pressure and focus on changesto make the agency better and moreconfident. Doing this immediately willshow Congress what changes need tobe made to effectively restore ourforests.

Environmental support

Environmental groups love the ideaof CLT transforming the urban densityfrom primarily steel and concrete to thenatural elements of wood. Many envi-ronmental groups in the Northwesthave been very proactive in the devel-opment of the mass timber market.Forterra, a Seattle-based environmentalorganization, has held several confer-ences on the subject. They have beenworking to bring leaders together to fig-ure out how products like CLT benefitthe environment and the community.Forterra isn’t the exception. TheWashington Environmental Councilheld the first ever “Carbon FriendlyForestry Conference” last year. I wasasked to speak and I’m glad I did. Thequestions asked were good ones and Ithink participants walked away fromthat event believing that forestry and

the products that go into mass timberproducts are better than they thought.There is tremendous support for col-laboratively based forest restorationprojects on our federal lands.

Added value

Mass timber allows forest productsto add more value to the forest thanever before. This means that areas thatused to have mills may again build asawmill industry with newer technolo-gy that is aligned with the needs of theforest. This will add value to the gov-ernment lands, but it will also allow

the private landowners the opportuni-ty to manage their forests as well. Thisadded value in the form of mass tim-ber production will add jobs in smallcommunities, bringing high-payingprofessional jobs. Positions in engi-neering, architecture, electrical pro-gramming, production management,sales, and many others will infusecommunities with the type of peoplethat are assets to our communities.

Opportunity for forests

Forest collaboration along with thedevelopment of mass timber repre-sents the biggest opportunity we’veseen in a long, long time. We think thiscould make managing forests sociallyacceptable once again, showing ourcareers for what they are: valuable,honorable work to make our world abetter place. It’s been that way for along time, but the story has been toldin a way that did not accurately depictthe benefits we provide as forest pro-fessionals. With the various types ofpeople that are inspired by mass tim-ber, this may be the opportunity weneed to stand up, dust ourselves off,and be proud of the eco-friendly workthat we do. ◆

Russ Vaagen is the founder and CEO ofVaagen Timbers in Colville, Wash. Healso serves as the president of the Boardof the Northeast Washington ForestCoalition and is the founder ofwww.theforestblog.com. He can be fol-lowed on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube,Instagram, and Twitter as Russ Vaagen.He can be contacted at 509-684-3678 [email protected].


IMAGE COURTESY OF WAUGHTHISTLETON ARCHITECTS, LONDON, ENGLAND

This is a diagram of an apartment building in London. It shows how themassive elements of wood are used to construct the building.

BY DAN SEMSAK

hat changesare occurring

in wood constructionthat could changethe way timber is uti-lized? Let’s look atcharacteristics ofengineered woodproducts and how the characteristicsof timber might affect them.Engineered wood products for struc-tural use must meet minimumstrength and stiffness criteria.

Engineered wood covers a broadrange of products. The latest buzz cen-ters around mass timber. Mass timberusually refers to CLT (cross-laminatedtimber) and glue-laminated timberbeams and columns (glulam). Othermass timber products of limited pro-

duction include DLT (dowel laminatedtimber), NLT (nail laminated timber),and MPP (mass plywood panels).

CLT is made of alternating, perpen-dicular layers of lumber glued togetherin massive panels, hence the name“cross-laminated.” It is similar to theproduction of plywood in that sense.The layers are typically 2” x 6” thathave been finger-jointed together intolong lengths and then laid up side-by-side. The top and bottom layers areparallel. In a 3-ply panel, the alternat-ing layer is perpendicular to those.This could continue into thicker pan-els of 5-ply or 7-ply. The current ANSIstandard allows for #2 grade lumberfor the parallel chords, including anyparallel layers in the core of 5- or 7-plyCLT. Number 3 grade is allowed in thecross plies. Note that these are visuallumber grades. MSR (machine-stressrated) lumber allows CLT manufactur-

ers to develop new recipes or lay-ups,which could provide more flexibility inthe future.

Glulam beams and columns utilizeMSR lumber for the lam stock. Thehighest strength grade of lam stock istension lam, which is used for the bot-tom layer or “chord.” The top chord isin compression, which also requires ahigh grade. As you move toward thecenter, lower grades are used wheretension and compression factors areminimized.

CLT and glulam require straightlumber, small knots, square edges, andstraight grain. The moisture contentmust be 12% or lower for proper adhe-sion. The drier the lumber, timbercharacteristics like compression woodthat can cause warp and twist becomemore of a factor. Home center cus-tomers also want square-edge lum-ber—they just will not buy lumberwith wane. Between mass timber andhome centers, wane-free lumberdemand will continue to increase.

Knots are a defect. Lumber pro-duced in the Inland US and InteriorCanada typically have smaller knotsand knot holes than lumber producedon the coast.

LVL (laminated veneer lumber) isanother engineered wood productwith special needs. LVL is similar toplywood in that thin, typically 4’ x 8’veneers are laminated in layers intovarious thicknesses. However, plywoodis made up of alternating 90-degreelayers—or cross plies. Veneer used inLVL is laid up unidirectionally with theveneer laid out like a fan of cards. Eachveneer sheet is offset from the onebelow it, longitudinally. The veneersare lapped over the sheet in front. Thisallows for LVL to be laid up into virtu-ally any length, typically 40’ to 80’long, called billets. The billets are sawninto structural beams or high-strengthdimension lumber and studs. Thestrongest veneer comes from the sap-wood portion of the logs. Smaller logshave a higher percentage of sapwood.LVL producers, therefore, get most oftheir veneer from smaller logs.

The suitability of wood fiber forstructural purposes is determined byits bending stiffness, bending strength,and density. LVL utilizes veneer thathas been tested for strength using


Innovative Wood Utilization

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sound waves. Veneer testing machinescan measure the ultrasonic propaga-tion time (UPT) of veneer. The denserthe material, the faster sound waveswill travel through the wood fiber. Theveneer for LVL is separated into differ-ent strength classes by UPT. On aver-age, the veneer laid up into LVL withfastest sound waves of UPT gradedveneer is stronger than the slower UPTgraded veneer. Newer veneer testingmachines can also determine modulusof elasticity (E), specific gravity, anddensity, helping to more efficiently uti-lize veneer. One challenge for LVLmanufacturers is that very graduallyover time, those strength values havebeen declining, forcing them to occa-sionally increase the ratio of the higherstrength veneers into the recipe.

In recent years, some mills that pro-duce lam stock for glulam beam man-ufacturers or veneer for LVL mills havebeen separating logs using stress wavetiming/testing or bonking with stresswave tools. This allows for higher den-sity logs to be targeted toward engi-neered wood products, resulting inhigher yields of stronger lam stock orveneer.

Acoustic tools are a non-destructivemethod of predicting the stiffness ofmaterials. They work by measuring thepropagation of stress waves throughwood, either by time-of-flight (over afixed distance) or via resonance (vibra-tion at the wood’s natural frequency).

While veneer producers are happywith round logs, the lumber millswould love square logs. The goal of tim-ber producers is to provide logs withstraight grain, small to no knots, withno compression wood. Unrealistic? Yes,so what defects can be minimized byforest management?

What if, at the time of thinning a

managed forest, the criteria for select-ing trees to cut were not based onsize? Knot sizes and number, straightgrain, and sapwood percentage aremore useful criteria. Stress wave toolscan determine the soundness of thetree, particularly decay. Is it possibleto quickly determine the density ofeach tree and leave those to gainmass until final harvest? Marketing ofhigher-value logs toward engineered

wood products producers would bethe goal. ◆

Dan Semsak is vice president, Sales andMarketing, for Pacific Woodtech Corp,in Burlington, Wash., where he overseessales, transportation, and marketingprograms. He can be reached at 360-707-2200 or [email protected].

LVL beams used in floor framing. PHOTO COURTESY OF PACIFIC WOODTECH


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2019 PNW SAF Forestry Leadership ConferenceFebruary 1-2, 2019 – Pacific Northwest Leadership: Building Common Ground!

Forestry, natural resource managers and students from the Northwest are invited to participate in the 2019 Leadership Conference onFebruary 1-2, at the McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, Ore. Participants will gain insights from the conference with the theme “BuildingCommon Ground.”


DAY 1—FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19:00 am Registration and Networking (Coffee and pastries provided)9:15 Introductions and opening remarks—Meghan Tuttle,

OSAF Chair9:30 Keynote Address “Building Each Other Up in Leadership”—

Jessica Homyack, Weyerhaeuser Company10:15 Next Generation Leadership Panel: Hearing from emerging

natural resource leaders11:00 Collaborative Strategies: Breakout Session on building

teams and leadership capabilities Noon Lunch (provided)1:00 pm Leadership Lessons from the SAF President—John McNulty,

SAF President1:30 Developing Leaders: Local Leadership Breakout Session2:30 Networking BreakCase Studies: Natural Resources Leadership in Action 3:00 Deputy Chief Forester, Nancy Hirsch, Oregon Department

of Forestry3:30 Washington State Forester, George Geissler, Washington

State DNR4:00 Willamette Forest Supervisor, Tracy Beck, U.S. Forest Service4:30 Leadership Icebreaker—Edgefield Scavenger Hunt led

by students6:00 Dinner (provided)

DAY 2—SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28:30 am Coffee and Pastries (breakfast on own)9:00-11:30 Skills for Forestry Leaders

Communications • Top 5 communication skills required for any leadership role• Breakout Session: How to have difficult conversations—

Sara Duncan, OFICAdvocacy in SAF

• Advocating for forestry through SAF

• Policy Panel—Mark Buckbee and Ed Shepard, OSAF Policy Co-Chairs, John Bailey, SAF National Policy Committee/OSU, and Seth Barnes OSAF Capitol Chapter Chair/OFIC

Mentoring• Essential strategies for effective mentoring • Mentoring across generational differences

11:30 Closing Comments: Leadership Action Items for 2019 and 2019 SAF calendar

Noon Lunch (provided) and closing icebreaker1:00 Concurrent State Executive Committee Meetings

DRAFT SCHEDULE

McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey St.,Troutdale, Ore., is a uniquefacility featuring 114 overnight rooms. Some rooms are equipped withprivate baths; the majority are European style lodging with bathroomslocated in the hall. Group rates are discounted, but prices vary greatlybased on room selection. Call 503-669-8610 by Nov. 30 and mention“OSAF-Leadership Conference”to receive the group rate for Jan. 31 andFeb. 1, 2019.Their online registration does not recognize group rates.

Best Western Plus-Cascades Inn and Suites, 23525 NE Halsey St.,Troutdale, Ore., located .7 miles from McMenamins. Call 503-491-9700for rates and availability. Includes complimentary breakfast.

The registration fee for professional members is $160/person and$50/person for students. A late fee of $25 will be charged after January24. Register online at https://bit.ly/2T5JW0D or fill out and mail theform below.

Program: Meghan Tuttle, [email protected]: Melinda Olson, 503-224-8046, [email protected]

8 Category 2 SAF CFE credits are available.

LODGING

REGISTRATION

QUESTIONS?

SAF CFE HOURS

REGISTRATION FORM – 2019 SAF PNW Leadership ConferenceFebruary 1-2, 2019 – McMenamins Edgefield • Registration includes all materials, Friday lunch & dinner, and Saturday lunch

Name SAF Chapter

Address City/State/ZIP

Email Day Phone

List any special dietary needs

$ $160/person: Professional Conference Registration by January 24

$ $50/person: SAF Student Conference Registration by January 24

$ $25/person: Late Fee after January 24

$ TOTAL ENCLOSED

METHOD OF PAYMENT IF MAILING REGISTRATIONCheck (enclosed) Credit Card (Visa/MasterCard)

Card Number:

Expiration Date: Sec. Code:

Make checks payable to: Oregon SAF

Register online at https://bit.ly/2T5JW0D or complete registration form and mail to: PNW SAF Leadership Conference, SAF Northwest Office,4033 SW Canyon Rd., Portland, OR 97221. Visa and MasterCard accepted. Checks payable to Oregon SAF. Contact Melinda Olson, SAF

Northwest Office, 503-224-8046, [email protected], with questions. Full agenda at www.forestry.org.

https://bit.ly/2T5JW0D


CESCL: Erosion and SedimentControl Lead Training 2-Day inOregon, Jan. 9-10, 2019, Corvallis, OR.Contact: NWETC.

2019 Western Region COFESeminar, Jan. 17, Eugene, OR.Contact: WFCA.

Growth Rings: ProfessionalDevelopment and CommunicationSkills, Jan. 23, Heathman Lodge,Vancouver, WA. Contact: WFCA.

Mapping the Course, Jan. 24,Heathman Lodge, Vancouver, WA.Contact: WFCA.

Basic Road Design Workshop,Jan. 29-Feb. 1, Corvallis, OR. Contact: FEI.

PNW Leadership Conference, host-ed by Oregon SAF, Feb. 1-2, Troutdale,OR. See registration info on opposite page.

18th Annual Foresters Forum,Feb. 6-8, Coeur d’Alene, ID. Contact:[email protected], www.foresters-forum.com.

Cable Logging Workshop, Feb. 11-14,Corvallis, OR. Contact: FEI.

Alaska Legislative Breakfast,hosted by Alaska SAF Juneau Chapter,Feb. 14, Juneau. Contact: Ed Morgan,[email protected].

SkylineXL Workshop, Feb. 15,Corvallis, OR. Contact: FEI

CESCL: Certified Erosion andSediment Control Lead Training,Feb. 20-21, Lynnwood, WA. Contact:NWETC.

81st Annual Oregon LoggingConference, Feb. 21-23, Lane CountyConvention Center and Fairgrounds,Eugene, OR. Contact: oregonlogging-conference.com.

2019 Oregon Chapter of TheWildlife Society annual meeting,

Feb. 27-Mar.1, Bend, OR. Contact:ortws.org/2019-annual-meeting.

International Mass TimberConference, March 19-21, OregonConvention Center, Portland, OR. Contact:www.masstimberconference.com.

Variable Probability Sampling,March 25-29, Oregon State University,Corvallis, OR. Contact: blogs.oregon-state.edu/variableprobability.

NWSA 90th Annual Meeting,March 26-29, Lewiston, ID. Contact:www.northwestscience.org.

Washington State SAF annualmeeting, April 3-5, Port Angeles, WA.Contact: Joe Murray, [email protected].

Oregon SAF annual meeting,April 17-19, Boulder Falls Inn, Lebanon,OR. Contact: Jeremy Felty, [email protected].

Alaska SAF annual meeting,April 24-26, Anchorage. Contact: TrevorDobell-Carlsson, [email protected].

The Hagenstein Lectures SpecialEvent: A Conversation with JohnMaclean, May 2, Miller Hall, WorldForestry Center, Portland, OR. Contact:www.hagensteinlectures.org/special-events.

Calendar of Events

Contact InformationFEI: Forest Engineering Incorporated,541-754-7558, [email protected],www.forestengineer.com.

NWETC: Northwest EnvironmentalTraining Center, 425-270-3274,nwetc.org.

WFCA: Western Forestry andConservation Association, 503-226-4562, [email protected],www.westernforestry.org.

Send calendar items to the editor [email protected].

FOREST RESOURCES TECHNOLOGYSAF Accredited • http://cocc.edu/programs/forestry

Ron Boldenow, Ph.D., C.F., ForestryRebecca Franklin, Ph.D., DendrochronologyBret Michalski, M.S., Wildlife Science

E-mail: [email protected] (541) 383-7756

CENTRAL OREGON COMMUNITY COLLEGE Bend, Oregon

We Remember

Steven Klein1953-2018

Steven Louis Klein, 65, originally ofChevy Chase, Md., died at his home inCorvallis, Ore., on July 6, 2018. He issurvived by his son Jonathan Aaron Klein;siblings Linda Klein McAuliffe, Gary A.Klein, and Michael I. Klein; and manynieces and nephews. He is preceded indeath by his parents, Beverly C. Klein andJoseph S. Klein.

Steven had a love for the outdoors anda deep passion for the environment andnatural resource preservation. He recentlyretired after a 42-year career in environ-mental science and research. He workedfor the U.S. Forest Service from 1979 to1986 on the Umpqua and WinemaNational Forests in Oregon. Steven thenworked for the Environmental ProtectionAgency in various technical and manage-ment positions. At the EPA, Steven’sresearch focus was on climate adaptation,water, forests, and natural resource plan-ning. Most recently, he led a collaborativestudy, coordinating with state agencies,other federal agencies, and non-govern-mental organizations involved in thearena of climate change science and poli-cy to consider how projected climatechange impacts could be incorporatedinto the Clean Water Act and salmonrecovery in the Pacific Northwest. Thefinal 3-volume product of his researchrepresented the culmination of a 4+ yeareffort that provides a basis for forest andsalmon management in the PacificNorthwest.

Steven earned a B.A. in ForestManagement from Mississippi StateUniversity (1978), completed post-graduate studies at the SilviculturalInstitute; Oregon State University—University of Washington (1984) andheld a certificate in Strategic Planning;American Management Association(1990). He was an active member of theSociety of American Foresters and theAmerican Society of AdaptationProfessionals.

Sharp-witted, funny and thoughtful,Steven loved his family and his work andwill be deeply missed. In lieu of flowers,donations can be made to the ALSAssociation, PO Box 37022 Boone, IA50037 (www.alsa.org/donate). ◆


BY JOE KOERNER

regonTorrefaction,

LLC (OTL) is anOregon benefitcompany formed todevelop and serve amarket for biomassto support forestrestoration activities. With a mission toadvance forest health and rural, forest-rich community vitality, the companyis developing the first commercial-scaletorrefaction facility to demonstrate pro-duction that achieves the cost, quality,and product volumes needed to allowthe torrefied biomass market to fullydevelop. OTL also focuses on the useof forest restoration residuals, whichfurther achieves the mission and that ofpartners U.S. Endowment for Forestryand Communities (Endowment) andthe USDA Forest Service.

Efforts are focused on forest restora-tion-based projects, recognizing thatfor a reliable, large volume market toemerge, forest-based fuel sources andmultiple facilities will be necessary. TheEndowment is the principal funder andhas formed Restoration Fuels, LLC(RFL) to operate the facility.

Torrefaction is the roasting of renew-able wood or biomass in the absence ofair to make it crispy enough to becrushed to a fine powder. It serves asfuel to replace fossil coal at power gen-eration stations. A medium-sized coalpower plant can consume 8,000 tonsof fuel per day, which equates to sub-stantial market pull.

Our experience

In 2016, Oregon Torrefaction signeda purchase order with Portland

General Electric (PGE) to be the solesupplier of torrefied biomass for test-ing at PGE’s 600 MW Boardman Coal-fired Power Plant. Five thousand tonsof torrefied biomass fuel was providedin a four-month period to supportPGE’s five test burns, including a 100%

test. These successful tests demon-strated that torrefied biomass fuel canbe substituted 100% for coal in anexisting power plant with few plantmodifications. This in-depth experi-ence puts Oregon Torrefaction at theforefront of this emerging industry.

Restoration Fuels, LLC—GrantCounty Project

The torrefaction facility is co-locat-ed at the Malheur Lumber mill in JohnDay, Ore. The site is owned by OTL’soperational partner, Ochoco Lumber,which brings decades of local fibersourcing, lumber mill, and white pel-leting experience. The facility will sus-tainably source biomass from nationalforest restoration activities on the

Malheur, Ochoco, and Deschutesnational forests, as well as biomassfrom private land management andmill residuals. Biomass from nationalforests will have been vetted for envi-ronmental impact through theNational Environmental Policy Act(NEPA) requirements and termed“shelf ready.”

The torrefied fuel will be sold todomestic and off-shore utilities underlong-term contracts and in smallerquantities to facilitate expanded powerplant testing and market development.The location in John Day with nearbyrail trans-shipment in Prineville, Ore.,facilitates local, regional, and interna-tional deliveries. The facility in GrantCounty will have a 100,000 ton per yearproduction capacity, but will undertakea phased ramp up with initial produc-tion beginning in the second quarter of2019 at 40,000-50,000 tons. ◆

Joe Koerner is the restoration fuels plantmanager for Restoration Fuels, LLC. Hecan be reached at [email protected].

Using Torrefaction Process, Low-Grade MaterialsTurn into a Coal Substitute

O

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WAYNE LEI

Five thousand tons of torrefied biomass was processed at the BoardmanPower Plant and used as a coal replacement in late 2016 and into 2017.Torrefied fuel is received either as densified pellets or briquettes—in the caseof Boardman, they received pellets. The crushing to a fine powder is per-formed by the pulverizers at the power plant, an action that emulates howcoal is processed at a coal-fired power plant.

n the future, the University ofIdaho’s (UI) planned Idaho Central

Credit Union (ICCU) Arena will notsimply be a building, but a well-appointed, tasteful home to men’s andwomen’s basketball games, concerts,and convocations.

Now, though, it is a vision of whatarchitecture and wood can create.Most important, it is a bold statementof what UI can and should be, accord-ing to Michael Perry, UI special proj-ects fundraiser who is responsible forgetting ICCU Arena paid for.

The $51 million project—$48 mil-lion for the building and the remain-der for associated infrastructureimprovements, such as new electricalservice to the arena and to the KibbieDome and UI law school—will fulfill afacilities wish at Idaho for a new bas-ketball venue that has been unrequit-ed since 1969.

On a field just north of the dome,the 4,200-seat arena, practice court,coaches offices, locker rooms, teamlounge, and alumni gathering roomwill rise from campus in flowing linesthat mirror the rounded Palouse hillssurrounding it.

Built of wood harvested from UI’sExperimental Forest, some of it fash-

ioned into massive laminated beamsby Boise Cascade, and hauled by JackBuell Trucking to a campus site pre-pared by Buell, the building will beunique in the US.

The partnership between a numberof Idaho timber companies, industryassociations, and the university tobuild a mass timber arena is unherald-ed. The closest similar athletic site isthe 8,000-seat Richmond OlympicOval that hosted speed skating at the2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.StructureCraft Builders, which devel-oped the roof design for the RichmondOval, is also involved in UI’s project.

The dramatic building attractedproposals from 15 architectural firms,Perry said. “The industry is buzzing,”he said.

UI settled on Opsis Architecture of

Portland as principal architect.Hastings and Chivetta, a firm withexperience building arenas, will over-see the interior design, and KPFFConsulting Engineers, with an officein Boise, is on board as a consultant.

Since seizing on a Seattle architect’sproposal several years ago for a wood-engineered arena using mass timberconstruction, UI is fulfilling its missionas Idaho’s land grant university andflagship higher education institution,Perry said.

The university has inspired theIdaho timber industry and the U.S.Forest Service with a $250,000 grant toget behind a mass timber arena thatwill be a demonstration project forsimilar construction that can boost theindustry, Perry said.

The audacity to solicit seven-figuredonations for a $51 million capitalproject signals UI has broken throughto a new level of philanthropic expec-tation.

“Cost was important,” Perry said.“But at the end of the day, we wantedan iconic structure, a showcase forNorth Idaho and the university, andthat’s exactly what we’re getting.”

So far, $38 million has been raised.The key gift is a $10 million donationfrom ICCU. It is the biggest donationin UI’s history. “We had the courage toask for it,” Perry said.

UI is working with a handful ofother significant donors. The ICCU giftsets a benchmark for what the univer-sity is willing to pursue for this andfuture projects.

“At every institution that received amillion-dollar gift, people realize thereis now a different level,” Perry said.“ICCU rang the bell in spades for us.The UI is worthy of the highest levelsof philanthropy to fulfill the mission ofthe institution.”

The mass timber arena is coming


Mass Timber Project Hopes toCreate Home Court Advantage

ARCHITECT RENDERING OF THE IDAHO CENTRAL CREDIT UNION ARENA AT THEUNIVERSITY OF IDAHO IN MOSCOW, IDAHO. (COURTESY OF IDAHO ATHLETICS)

This wood engineered facility will be a game-changer for University of Idahostudent-athletes, students, alumni, and the greater Moscow community as amodern and comfortable gathering space. The ICCU Arena will demonstratehow Northwest wood can be a lower-cost, green option. The SustainableForestry Initiative is partnering with UI to document the chain of custodyand feature the ICCU Arena as a sustainable showcase facility to a globalaudience.

Connecting Forest Landowners withSeedlings, Services and Contractors

DISCOVER Our Interactive Websitewww.forestseedlingnetwork.com

BUY/SELL SEEDLINGS • FIND VENDOR SERVICES & CONTRACTORS • VALUABLE RESOURCES

I

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 23)

Editor’s Note: To keep SAF membersinformed of state society policy activities,Policy Scoreboard is a regular feature in theWestern Forester. The intent is to provide abrief explanation of the policy activity—youare encouraged to follow up with the listedcontact person for detailed information.

OSAF Approves Updated PositionStatement on Clearcutting. At theSeptember 21 OSAF Executive CommitteeMeeting in Corvallis, an updated versionof our Position Statement entitled“Clearcutting” was approved by theExCom. Only minor changes were madeto the existing position. The core positionstates that OSAF “supports the careful useof clearcutting as a tool for meeting diversemanagement objectives, including desiredconditions for the regeneration and healthof important forest types. Many of theforests seen today in western Oregon wereestablished after clearcutting, whichdemonstrates its effectiveness in regenerat-ing native species such as Douglas-fir.Current laws include many measures thatregulate the use of clearcutting on Oregon’sprivate and public lands. Professionalforesters and other specialists draw from astrong foundation of science and experi-ence to further ensure that clearcutting isapplied with prudent consideration ofenvironmental, economic, and social

concerns.” The updated statement canbe found at www.oregon.forestry.org/oregon/policy/general. Contact: MarkBuckbee, OSAF Policy co-chair, [email protected].

New Watershed Study ArticlesAddress Important WaterResource Concerns. Questions andconcerns about water resource impactsof timber harvest and related practicescontinue to arise in public discussionsof the efficacy of existing policies forforestry. Among the challenges inaddressing such issues is that much ofthe research about the effects of forestmanagement on water resources wasdone many years ago and thus does notreflect the likely benefits of newer prac-tices and policies. To help close thisknowledge gap, the Watershed ResearchCooperative (WRC) conducted long-term watershed studies in three differ-ent areas of western Oregon where con-temporary logging and other improvedpractices were used. After many years ofdata collection and analysis, WRCauthors recently published some keyfindings of these important studies,which are very encouraging with regardto contemporary practices. Among themost recent reports are those that high-light effects on stream temperature(https://bit.ly/2mrI0QN), sediment(https://bit.ly/2LvOuc6), and fish(https://bit.ly/2muDUYh).

Two other recent publicationsshould be especially useful to OSAFmembers who interact with interestedcitizens and public leaders as concernsare raised about regulations for privateforest management. In February, theOregon Department of Forestry updat-ed its booklet that includes all the oper-ational rules and statutory require-

ments under Oregon’s Forest PracticesAct (https://bit.ly/2LnYYNV). Similarly,this summer the Oregon ForestResources Institute released its 3rd edi-tion of “Oregon’s Forest ProtectionLaws—An Illustrated Manual (Availableat: https://oregonforests.org/publica-tions). Together, these two publicationsspan 350+ pages of detailed require-ments that forest managers and opera-tors must follow in Oregon. Contact:Mark Buckbee, OSAF Policy co-chair,[email protected].

Herbicide Spray Issue CouldReemerge Locally or in Salem.Although an initiative to ban aerialspraying in Lane County was kept offthe May ballot by a local court ruling, itwould not be surprising to see a modi-fied version or other similar proposalsdirected at the state legislature nextyear. The recent update and revision ofOSAF’s position statement “UsingHerbicides on Forestlands in Oregon”provides an important resource asquestions and concerns arise frominterested citizens and public leaders.For example, as the Lane County issuearose earlier this year, OSAF leadersused the new position to help draftresponses to provide Lane County citi-zens with a professional perspective onherbicide use in forestry. All OSAFmembers are invited to review theexpanded discussion and environmen-tal references in the revised position(www.oregon.forestry.org/oregon/policy/general), and similarlyuse this material when communicatingwith policy makers and the interestedpublic about this important issue.Contact: Mark Buckbee, OSAF Policyco-chair, [email protected]. ◆


Policy Scoreboard

BY STEVE PILKERTON, CF

ffective January 1, 2019, the InlandEmpire SAF (IESAF) will no longer

be affiliated with the SAF NorthwestOffice (SAFNWO). The decision is theresult of a membership vote that con-cluded in August 2018 where 53.5% ofthe membership (26 responses) votedto withdraw and 46.5% (20 responses)voted to stay. This issue of the WesternForester is the last print edition InlandEmpire members will receive.

The SAFNWO was established in1965 by the Oregon and WashingtonState Societies to provide services andsupport to SAF units and members asdirected by the Northwest OfficeCommittee. Both Inland Empire andAlaska SAF joined the SAFNWO in

2012. In addition to providing internalSAF support, the SAFNWO also pro-duces the Western Forester andmanages our regional website atwww.forestry.org.

I believe the strength of SAF is root-ed in the local chapters and member-ship. SAF has multiple organizationallevels, which depends on leadershipdevelopment at the local and regionallevels to support the national organi-zation. The SAFNWO, both the paidstaff and the volunteer committeestructure (four members from eachparticipating state society plus ad hocmembers), provides continuity andinstitutional memory that results in aresource base of knowledge, experi-ence, abilities, and skills for rotationalleaders (experienced and developing)

to help them achieve their objectives. The Northwest Office Strategy

Group and the Northwest OfficeCommittee met in November and aretransitioning to the new structure of athree-state partnership with Oregon,Washington State, and AlaskaSocieties. ◆

Steve Pilkerton, CF, is a past chair of theOregon SAF and is chair of the SAFNorthwest Office Committee. He can bereached at [email protected]. An article about the SAFNorthwest Office partnership writtenby Alaska SAF member Brian Kleinhenzappeared in the September/October2017 issue of the Western Forester andis available at https://bit.ly/2OwHCvX.

into being because two UI administra-tors—who will not be at the universitywhen the ICCU Arena is opened in2021—saw its possibilities andbelieved in it. Former athletic directorRob Spear was fired by the Idaho StateBoard of Education this year, and UIPresident Chuck Staben learned inMay his contract will not be renewedat the end of the academic year.

“When Rob presented the idea to(Staben, he) saw what it could mean tothis campus,” Perry said. “He threw theweight of his presidency behind it.”

The announcement of the ICCU giftin January sparked a burst of excite-ment about the arena project.

While that has quieted, behind-the-scenes momentum on the remainingfundraising continues unabated, Perrysaid. Idaho is committed to ground-breaking in April.

“We’re all in,” Perry said of the long-anticipated arena. “This is going tohappen.” ◆

—Reprinted from The Spokesman-Review, Oct. 4, 2018


Inland Empire Exits Northwest Office Partnership

E

Mass Timber ProjectHopes to Create HomeCourt Advantage(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21)

ARCHITECT RENDERING OF THE IDAHO CENTRAL CREDIT UNION ARENA AT THEUNIVERSITY OF IDAHO IN MOSCOW, IDAHO. (COURTESY OF IDAHO ATHLETICS)

The practice court utilizes retractable seats that can be rolled back whenneeded.

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