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Small Diameter Roundwood

Forests in the United States contain a significant amount of small-diameter and underutilized material. Not only do these overstocked stands increase the risk of insect, disease, fire, and drought damage, but they are costly to manage. Finding economical and marketable uses for this material would alleviate these problems while providing opportunities for local communities to benefit and helping to offset forest management costs. Since 1993 and during declining budgets, FPL shifted some of its research effort to focus on characterizing the small-diameter and thinning material, identifying potential uses, and providing the technology that can help these rural-based communities create successful businesses from the by-products of ecosystem management. Some research projects are exploring the potential of the small-diameter "in the round form" as a structural material for uses such as bridges, boardwalks, trail structures, picnic shelters, storage sheds, and other rustic-type buildings.

Below are documents, schematics and pictures pertaining to study and use of small-diameter and underutilized materials.