Research by Corrine G. Bassett et al. in the latest issue of Arboriculture & Urban Forestry (AUF) reveals that urban residential landowners are open to purchasing wood products with an urban source for things like wood chips and compost.

 

Though survey participants were less likely to purchase furniture or lumber from the same source, this reveals a potential market for wood sources that are, currently, largely treated as waste instead of material. According to the study, "for the past 20 years, approximately twice as many trees were removed annually from urban areas in the USA as were harvested annually form the US National Forest System."

These findings highlight an avenue for manufacturers and tree care companies to join forces and take advantage of the removal of urban trees instead of automatically resorting to national forests.