Source: USDA, 5/27/22

Today during a visit to the Junction Development Catalyst project site in West Des Moines, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced more than $32 million to fund 2022 wood innovations and community wood grants. Bolstered by $12 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these grants aim to expand the use of wood products, strengthen emerging wood markets, and support active management to improve forest health and resilience, especially in light of the ongoing nationwide wildfire crisis.

The Junction Development Catalyst project is funded by a wood innovations grant from 2021 and uses wood construction known as mass timber to build affordable housing in West Des Moines. Mass timber is an all-purpose, sturdy and renewable material that can be used in lieu of traditional materials like steel and concrete, with comparable strength and versatility. Wood buildings can store significant amounts of carbon and mass timber construction largely avoids the fossil energy emissions from the manufacturing of many conventional building materials. The mass timber material for the Junction Development Catalyst project was produced in Oregon from small-diameter Douglas fir trees.

“Wood innovation and community wood grants projects like these show us how we can tackle problems like the wildfire crisis and climate change while creating new markets, supporting jobs, building affordable housing and improving conditions on our forests at the same time,” said Secretary Vilsack. “Removing hazardous trees that would otherwise threaten wildfire-prone communities and having rural, forest-based economies turn those materials into renewable building and energy products, stand as examples of how a clean energy economy is within reach.”

“With continued USDA investment and with the ongoing support of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this vision is getting closer every day,” said Secretary Vilsack.

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