The Cooperative Extension Service has been engaged in a number of projects designed to promote the use and development of forest products and non-timber forest products (NTFPs). We have hosted several workshops regarding forest products in cooperation with the United States Forest Service and other agencies including Oregon State University. These workshops have included lumber drying and kiln operations; alder, birch and yellow cedar utilization; sawmilling and business planning.

What we have been doing

• Wood composite research
• Forest products workshops and conferences
• The importance of driftwood in Southwest Alaska
• Christmas trees in Alaska
• Survey of public attitudes regarding Alaska grown Christmas trees
• Conducting a trial of Christmas tree species in Trapper Creek in cooperation with the Upper Susitna Soil and Water Conservation District
• Working with the Fairbanks North Star Borough on promotion of a wood pellet industry
• Evaluating Alaska amber for cottage industry in jewelry

Cooperative Extension Service Information on Forest Products

• Wood hardening: Does it have a future for Alaska softwoods?
• Exposure to wood: A hazard for some humans
• Birch in Alaska: Essence of the boreal forest
• Utilization of red alder and Alaska yellow cedar
• Driftwood utilization by rural communities in Southwest Alaska
• Clarifying Alaska amber sources
• The economics and cultural importance of driftwood in coastal communities in Southwest Alaska