Describes the potential for maintaining or expanding existing low-grade wood markets in New Hampshire and identifies new markets for low-grade wood. In both cases, the intent is to identify markets or potential markets that draw on low-grade wood resources from the forests of New Hampshire--not low-grade wood residue material resulting from primary or secondary manufacturing of wood products. The residue market issue is not part of this study. This project was Commissioned by the New Hampshire Governor’s Office of Energy and Community Services (GOECS), the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands (Division) and the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension (UNH) though the findings and recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views of those agencies.
The need for this report results from the concerns that GOECS, the Division and UNH have about the uncertain future of the state’s wood energy facilities and the low-grade wood markets they represent. The January, 1998 ice storm caused extensive damage to the forest resources of at least 700,000 acres in the state, causing further need for adequate low-grade wood markets to facilitate salvaging damaged trees in the next 3-5 years.
