The Herald — This significant funding, part of a national effort to support sustainable wood energy and product innovations, will further BrocksWood Lot’s mission to reclaim wood waste into usable products and foster economic growth in rural communities.
The Wood Innovations Grant award of $50,699 will assist in adding a mill, a planer, and a dehumidifier kiln to create lumber. Choice logs will be milled into slabs, planks, boards, and kiln-dried for non-structural use. This initiative is expected to boost the local economy through job creation and introduce a new local lumber market.
The Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Grant of $389,656 will allow Brocks Wood Lot to add a 12-cord wood waste firewood kiln at the Oakridge Industrial Park to provide USDA-certified dry firewood to homes and campgrounds. This initiative, driven by a commitment to improving air quality through kiln-dried firewood, will create jobs to support the local economy.
These grants were made achievable through collaboration with the Southern Willamette Forest Collaborative and with support from the Willamette National Forest, Middle Fork Ranger District, Upper Willamette Soil and Water Conservation District, South Willamette
Solutions, the City of Oakridge, and Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority (LRAPA), illustrating the wide-reaching impact of these projects.
Funded in part by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, $74 million will support 171 project proposals across 41 states and American Samoa, directly enhancing forest health and the wood products economy.
“We are honored and ecstatic to be selected as a recipient of the 2024 USDA Forest Service Wood Innovation Grants,” said Brock Buchmeier, Owner of Brocks Wood Lot LLC. “These grants will enable us to further our mission of sustainable forestry, grow our business, and impact the local economy. We are excited to bring new and improved products to our area while removing and reusing wood debris from forest fire restoration and recovery areas.”
The USDA Forest Service Wood Innovation Grants play a vital role in supporting the growth and resilience of the nation’s forestry sector.
Through strategic investments in innovation and sustainability, the grants empower businesses and organizations to explore new avenues for utilizing wood products and expanding market opportunities.
For more information, please contact:
Brock Buchmeier
Owner, Brocks Wood Lot LLC
541-731-2626
[email protected]
George Custer lives in Oakridge with his wife Sayre. George is a former smokejumper from his hometown of Cave Junction, a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. and ran a construction company in Southern California. George assumed the volunteer duties as the Editor of the Highway 58 Herald in 2022. He loves riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, building all things wood, and playing drums on the weekends in his office.
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