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About the Forest Products Laboratory
 Who
Are We?
Established in 1910 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest
Service, the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) in Madison Wisconsin,
serves the public as the nation's leading wood research institute. FPL
is recognized both nationally and internationally as an unbiased technical
authority on wood science and use. Our research is concentrated in one
location to promote an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving.
FPL cooperates with many universities, industries, and federal and state
agencies.
What
Do We Do?
Today, more than 250 scientists and support staff
conduct research on expanded and diverse aspects
of wood use. Research concentrates on pulp and paper products, housing and
structural uses of wood, wood preservation, wood and fungi identification,
and finishing and restoration of wood products. In addition to traditional
lines of research, FPL is responding to environmental pressures on the forest
resource by using cutting-edge techniques to study recycling, develop environmentally
friendly technology, and understand ecosystem-based forest management.
How
Have We Helped?
Throughout its history, FPL's focus on conservation
of wood fiber has affected almost every sector of the wood products industry
while benefiting society and the environment as well. Early research on
preservatives extended the life of railroad ties, reducing demand by 75
percent. FPL research increased average lumber yield per log from 25 percent
to 60 percent. Today, work on new recycling technology, is creating a new
fiber resource, reducing pressure on our precious forests.
Who
Benefits?
The Forest Products Laboratory dedicates itself
to solving societal problems related to the forest and its products
by using the best scientific resources available. FPL is the public
side of the public-private partnership needed to create technology for
the long-term sustainability of our forests. According to a recent study,
tax dollar investments in forest products research generated as much
as a 300 percent return to society.
Why
Care About Wood?
The forest plays a vital role in our society. It supplies
many values, including the raw materials for paper products, construction
materials, and beneficial chemicals. We depend upon forests for a healthy
environment and a healthy economy.
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