The Urbanwood Project
The Urbanwood Project began in 2005 as part of Recycle Ann Arbor and the Southeast Michigan Resource Conservation and Development Council's efforts to encourage more recycling of dead urban trees, especially those killed by the emerald ash borer. Many local sawmills have now partnered with each other through this project to provide the widest selection of high-quality, sustainable wood products available in southeastern Michigan.
What is Urbanwood?
On the surface, Urbanwood isn't much different than other wood. It's durable, beautiful, and renewable. But Urbanwood doesn't come from typical forests or lumber yards. Instead, it grows up in local backyards, parks, and neighborhoods. “In fact, southeastern Michigan’s dead urban trees could produce enough lumber to build 362 average-sized homes each year,” explains Jessica Simons, one of the program’s coordinators at the Southeast Michigan RC&D Council; “but unfortunately, trees removed from our cities are often seen as waste and usually end up in a chipper.” Our sawmill partners see things a different way, saving the best of these logs to create a wide variety of remarkable green products that conserve resources and support local jobs.
Why is Urbanwood unique?
Our partners take pride in hand-processing logs in small batches, preserving the best features, and creating unique products that just aren't available elsewhere. Products are made using common backyard trees such as oak or maple, but are also created from less common species and other types of reclaimed wood such as antique boards.
What are the benefits of choosing Urbanwood?
Urbanwood is a natural choice for green building projects since it conserves resources by keeping good wood from going to waste. Since all harvesting, processing, and sales happen locally, these products create fewer transportation emissions, resulting in a much lower carbon footprint than bamboo and other eco-friendly options. The local economy benefits when our network of family-owned companies works together to reclaim dead trees and create beautiful products, creating jobs and keeping dollars right in your own neighborhoods. “Urbanwood is a choice you can feel good about - good for your home, your community, and the environment,” says Jason Bing, Recycle Ann Arbor’s program manager”.
The Urbanwood Project
2420 S. Industrial Highway
Ann Arbor Michigan 48104
info@urbanwood.org
(517) 851-2372
www.urbanwood.org
What is Urbanwood?
On the surface, Urbanwood isn't much different than other wood. It's durable, beautiful, and renewable. But Urbanwood doesn't come from typical forests or lumber yards. Instead, it grows up in local backyards, parks, and neighborhoods. “In fact, southeastern Michigan’s dead urban trees could produce enough lumber to build 362 average-sized homes each year,” explains Jessica Simons, one of the program’s coordinators at the Southeast Michigan RC&D Council; “but unfortunately, trees removed from our cities are often seen as waste and usually end up in a chipper.” Our sawmill partners see things a different way, saving the best of these logs to create a wide variety of remarkable green products that conserve resources and support local jobs.
Why is Urbanwood unique?
Our partners take pride in hand-processing logs in small batches, preserving the best features, and creating unique products that just aren't available elsewhere. Products are made using common backyard trees such as oak or maple, but are also created from less common species and other types of reclaimed wood such as antique boards.
What are the benefits of choosing Urbanwood?
Urbanwood is a natural choice for green building projects since it conserves resources by keeping good wood from going to waste. Since all harvesting, processing, and sales happen locally, these products create fewer transportation emissions, resulting in a much lower carbon footprint than bamboo and other eco-friendly options. The local economy benefits when our network of family-owned companies works together to reclaim dead trees and create beautiful products, creating jobs and keeping dollars right in your own neighborhoods. “Urbanwood is a choice you can feel good about - good for your home, your community, and the environment,” says Jason Bing, Recycle Ann Arbor’s program manager”.
The Urbanwood Project
2420 S. Industrial Highway
Ann Arbor Michigan 48104
info@urbanwood.org
(517) 851-2372
www.urbanwood.org
