Research Emphasis Areas

Project Leader:
Skog, Kenneth E.

Research Emphasis Area:
 Woody Biomass Utilization

Overview:
FPL research is enhanced by the ability of scientists to get professional assistance with designing experiments, analyzing data, mathematical modeling, and summarizing experimental results in tables and graphical displays. Statisticians are integral parts of the research teams, as they help identify research objectives, decide on the best research approach, and design experiments that effectively and efficiently allow testing of research hypotheses. Support of technology transfer is also provided in the form of user-friendly computer programs that provide new capabilities for scientists.

Project Leader:
Skog, Kenneth E.

Research Emphasis Area: 
 Advanced Composites

Overview:
Researchers are focusing on the long-range economic modeling of the U.S. forest products sector in the context of structural changes, policy shifts, and global trade. This includes long-range modeling of supply, demand, production and capacity trends by U.S. region, as well as other model development research, such as modeling market impacts of expanded fuel treatment programs in the western United States.

Improving understanding about the effect of production trends and technology changes in solid wood, composites, and end-use industries on product and wood needs.

To support this focus area, researchers maintain detailed capacity and production statistics for softwood lumber and panel mills in the United States and Canada and assess how drivers of wood supply and product demand are causing the observed trends in production and technology. In addition, the prospects for new markets are assessed for individual new products by identifying possible use markets and the size of those markets. Researchers collaborate with industry associations and others to conduct detailed surveys of wood use and prepare reports that display use rates and analyze how the use of different products is changing.

Project Leader:
Skog, Kenneth E.

Research Emphasis Area: 
 Advanced Structures
 Woody Biomass Utilization

Overview:
Developing Forest Service and industry strategic plans requires basic national-level information about forest products and the timber they use. Researchers provide readily available, consistent information and statistics on timber, wood, and fiber products production, trade, consumption, and prices. The data serve as a uniform source for analysts in government, industry, and universities.

Project Leader:
Skog, Kenneth E.

Research Emphasis Area: 
 Advanced Structures
 Woody Biomass Utilization
 Advanced Composites

Overview:
FPL researchers develop new technologies for converting timber into new or improved wood products that can extend timber supplies, reduce processing costs, and provide consumers with better products. However, the wood products industry will not make use of a new technology without adequate assessment of its commercial viability. Our scientists can help make the adoption of new technologies more desirable by providing economic feasibility analysis and identify pathways for adoption, including assessing needs for communities seeking business development and analysis of competitive products.

Project Leader:
Skog, Kenneth E.

Research Emphasis Area: 
 Woody Biomass Utilization

Overview:
Continue the evaluation of the forest sector role in sustainable management of natural systems, which includes estimating and analyzing indicators of sustainability of forest management, estimating and analyzing carbon storage in wood and paper products in support of global change research, and evaluating market and product opportunities to use small diameter timber in the West to mitigate fire risk.

Project Leader:
Skog, Kenneth E.

Research Emphasis Area:
 Advanced Composites

Overview:
A better understanding of existing statistical tools and the development of new tools are critical to the innovative research conducted by FPL scientists. For example, the development of new methods of engineering design that will conserve wood will require development and application of refined statistical methods. Researchers are working to develop models that predict performance when materials are under a combination of stresses and models that predict how processing affects performance.