Got Nature? Blog

The USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station is highlighting one of its most historic and innovative partners in forest science: the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) in Madison, Wisconsin. This feature appears in the January issue of the Station’s Rooted in Research newsletter, which spotlights science that supports healthy forests, sustainable wood products, and resilient communities.

Picture from Northern Research Station, USDA, U.S. Forest Service

Established in 1910, the Forest Products Laboratory focuses on improving the use, durability, and performance of wood and wood‑based materials. Its research supports forest health, climate resilience, and economic development by helping land managers, manufacturers, and communities make informed decisions about forest products.

• Wood durability research
• Innovative wood products
• Dire and materials testing
• Nanocellulose and emerging technologies

FPL scientists collaborate with universities, industry partners and other Forest Service units to bring practical, science‑based solutions to the public. Their work touches everything from housing and transportation to packaging, energy and emerging bio‑based materials.

Learn more by visiting the Forest Products Laboratory webpage.

Additionally, each month, the Northern Research Station’s Rooted in Research newsletter highlights science that supports healthy forests and thriving communities across the region. The January issue introduces readers to the Forest Products Laboratory and explores how FPL’s work complements the Station’s mission to understand and sustain forests from the Midwest to the Northeast.

Subscribe to the newsletter: Northern Research Station – Rooted in Research.

Resources:
Wood Products Manufacturing Technology Minor, FNR Minor
Hardwoods of the Central Midwest, The Purdue Arboretum
Wood Products, Purdue Extension – Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR)
Wood is Best Video, Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel, Woodisbest.org
An Introduction to Trees of Indiana, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Native Trees of the Midwest, Purdue University Press
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, Purdue University Press
ID That Tree, Playlist, Subscribe to Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources YouTube Channel
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Investing in Indiana Woodlands, The Education Store
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
Finding help from a professional forester, Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association
District Foresters for 10 plus acres, Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Hardwood Tree Improvement & Regeneration Center (HTIRC)

Diana Evans, Extension & Web Communications Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources