Do you feel a yawn coming on when someone says: “forest products industry?”

Stifle it! Then look around your home or workspace and celebrate National Forest Products week with the rest of us. Forest products make up a lot of what we see around us, including the lumber most houses are made of, the office paper that spits out of your printer and, yes, even the toilet paper that was in such short supply during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Michigan’s forest products industry contributes $21.2 billion and supports more than 99,000 jobs in Michigan’s economy,” said Jeff Stampfly, acting chief of the DNR Forest Resources Division.

More than 300 active mills in Michigan produce lumber, high-end veneer, posts and poles, particleboard, plywood, oriented strand board, paper, wood pulp and industrial fuelwood. National Forest Products Week, Oct. 18-24 this year, was established by Congress to recognize the value of forest products and commit to conservation practices that help responsibly manage U.S. forests.

Although people have been using wood for thousands of years, wood technology is still emerging. The DNR co-sponsored a recent summit on mass timber construction, which uses engineered wood columns, beams and panels to build large or tall structures. The DNR will use that construction method to replace its current offices in Newberry. The state-of-the-art, $5 million mass timber building will include a public meeting room.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to share the possibilities of this building technique in Michigan,” Stampfly said.

There’s much to learn about Michigan’s forest products industry, like certifications that ensure Michigan’s 4 million acres of state forest are managed to be sustainable. It’s an important part of our state’s economy and helps create more products than you might think.

Questions? Contact David Neumann at 517-490-7640.