There are multiple ways to envision a supply chain that uses forest residuals to make a variety of chemical products. One option would have all of the wood residuals transported to …more
Logging utilization studies describe how trees are harvested in commercial operations and account for how the various tree parts are used. This information helps land managers evaluate their logging operations and can reveal utilization trends over time and within various regions.
Logging utilization data is particularly valuable to NARA researchers because it provides a basis used …more
By: Janna Loeppky, M.S. Candidate, Oregon State University
In the forest industry, timber harvesting supplies the demand for one of the world’s most renewable resources: logs. Although the majority of consumers may only know about the final products purchased from mills and lumberyards, the harvesting operation is quite extensive. From stump to mill, the costs for extracting desirable trees to fulfill market demand range in cost depending on the size of the unit being harvested and the amount of …more
By: Janna Loeppky, M.F. Candidate, Oregon State University
Nitrogen is the most abundant atmospheric element and a major nutrient required for plant and tree growth. The vast majority of nitrogen in forest soils and tree biomass is fixed from the atmosphere by soil micro‐organisms. Although the vast majority of nitrogen in most forest ecosystems is held in soil organic matter, some sites contain larger portions in live biomass and may therefore be susceptible to reductions in long‐term site productivity …more
NARA funds educational opportunities for students at all levels — grade school through college graduate. For the past three years, NARA has provided summer research internships to college undergraduates through the NARA SURE program. SURE (Summer Undergraduate Research Experience) is a program coordinated by Washington State University that provides research internships to undergraduate students throughout the United States and is funded by multiple organizations including NARA.
For the summer of 2014, NARA funded five undergraduate students to conduct research …more
NARA’s second Cumulative Report is now available online. This report describes research efforts and activities conducted between April 2013 through March 2014.
You can view the NARA Cumulative Report: April 2013-March 2014 here.
Progress reports are sectioned within the Project’s five goals: Sustainable Biojet, Value Lignin Co-Products, Rural …more
NARA investigates conversion technologies that rely on enzymes called cellulases. Cellulases break down the cellulose and hemicellulose polymers found in wood and release simple sugars. The simple sugars can then be used to make …more
Washington State University (WSU) created this “Go Cougs” ad which can be viewed here. This advertisement refers to the NARA project which is led by WSU.
Douglas-fir trees are not all alike. Some grow faster, some adapt better to harsher climates and they all differ somewhat in their chemical makeup. These distinctions are due to variations in their genetic makeup. Those interested in breeding plantation trees for timber value have capitalized on genetic …more
NARA supports research that discovers ways to develop commercially valuable products from forest residuals. When forest residuals are converted to biojet fuel, a significant amount of the material remains. That remaining material is a …more