Contract Research

Sound science and disciplined development in the forest products and natural resources arena

Forest Concepts has the capacity and competency to conduct research and development projects of all sizes and types in the natural resources arena. We bring sound science and disciplined development to bear on challenging problems. Appreciative design methods ensure that client and stakeholder input is accommodated during the project. Recent projects include:

Wildlife Friendly Fence: Under funds from the National Fire Plan (BLM Agreement No: HAA022001), Forest Concepts led the development of a wildlife-friendly fence to exclude cattle from sensitive areas such as wetlands, springs, and streams. The objectives of the project were to:

1. Exclude cattle from sensitive areas,
2. Allow wildlife to freely pass in either direction,
3. Use materials from forest thinning projects,
4. Use technology appropriate for entrepreneurial forest products businesses in rural communities.

A demonstration fence was installed by volunteers to protect a sensitive spring area east of Ashland, Oregon. View a Mail Tribune article here. Long-term monitoring is continuing. Results to-date show that the fence is performing as expected.

Portable Roundwood Processor for Value-Added Products: As a subcontractor to Mason Conservation District (USDA Forest Service Grant WNFP-01-019), Forest Concepts completed the "proof-of-concept" design of a highly transportable equipment system for making value-added roundwood products from small diameter timber. The equipment was demonstrated to the public for the first time at the Oregon/Washington Forest Landowners Association Field Day on September 21, 2002. Subsequent public demonstrations were held at Shelton, WA for the Mason Conservation District, at Wenatchee, WA for the Washington Association of Conservation Districts, and at LaGrande, OR for the Eastern Oregon Smallwood Conference.

Marketing and Logistics System for Roundwood Component Kits and Materials: The objective of this USDA SBIR project (USDA/CSREES SBIR Contract No. 2004-33610-14424) is to create a marketing and logistics system for moving large quantities of roundwood into the consumer and landscape markets in all regions of the United States. The marketing concept is built around branding. The logistics concept is to centralize marketing and sales, combined with a network of contract manufacturers in rural communities around the nation. Production and distribution of roundwood structure components, connectors, plans and technical guides will add jobs in timber-dependent communities, add much-needed revenues to post and pole companies, and will provide income to public and private landowners seeking to offset the high costs of fuel-reduction thinning programs. Direct customers for the products will be wholesalers and retailers of construction and landscape materials. End customers will be homeowners, landscape contractors and builders. Please view the ProjectPolesTM idea book for examples of these structures.

ProjectPolesTM idea book

Wood Strand Erosion Control Material: In 2005 we completed development of an innovative wood-based erosion control material that performs or exceeds the functionality of agricultural straw while addressing straw's known limitations. We started the project in 1998 with technical and market research. In 2002, we were awarded a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase I grant by the US Dept. of Agriculture to conduct proof-of-concept research and experimentation. Concurrently, the U.S. Forest Service provided support to the Rocky Mountain Research Station in Moscow, ID to work with us on the functional performance aspects of the project. We successfully completed the SBIR Phase I project and were awarded a $296,000 Phase II contract in 2003 (USDA/CSREES SBIR Contract No. 2003-33610-13997). The USFS has also successfully completed their work. Two peer-reviewed manuscripts documenting the fundamental science were published. Twelve months of field trials demonstrated field performance equal to laboratory-based projections. The technology is now commercially available as WoodStraw® wood-strand erosion control material.

Woody Biomass Collection and Handling Systems: Under a federal contract from the USDA CSREES SBIR program (Contract No. 2005-33610-15483) Forest Concepts developed better methods to collect and transport woody biomass reclaimed from small-scale fuels reduction projects (ranging from residential lots to 20 acre parcels) in the true wildland-urban intermix zone (WUI). Our specific objective was to enable more of the material to be diverted to value-added uses including energy, biorefineries, and bio-based products. During 2005, we completed a Phase I study of the current situation in the western U.S. We conducted two surveys and a number of site visits with community wildfire protection organizations in Washington, Oregon and California. During the 2007-2008 Phase II award we developed, field-tested, and demonstrated high-density baling equipment.