$15M proposal submitted to advance forest economy in northern New England

New forestry technology and the development of wood-based products are the focus of a collaborative proposal by interests across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont that are seeking to win a $15 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

The coalition of higher education, industry, nonprofit and government groups in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont was selected as finalists in a nationwide forest products competition for $15 million from the National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovations Engines program.

Led by the Northern Forest Center — an innovation and investment partner serving the Northern Forest of northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York — the coalition’s proposal aims to advance research, development and commercialization of precision forest management and forest-based bioproducts.

“Our coalition and region are uniquely suited to advance these technologies to benefit the U.S. Forest economy and the rural communities that depend on it,” said Rob Riley, the president of the Northern Forest Center.

The coalition is one of 15 finalists.

New technologies

The proposal was dubbed Northern New England Precision Forest Management and Advanced Forest Bioproducts Engine, or NNE-Promise, and focuses on Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont as states that on average are 85% forested.

If awarded, the $15 million, two-year grant would go toward workforce development, product research and development, and commercialization to support increased innovation and rural economic development outcomes in forest industries in the region. 

One emphasis of the proposal is to bring new technologies to market that landowners and foresters can use to maintain and improve the resilience, productivity and economic outputs of the 25 million acres of forest that span the three states. 

“Remote sensing technologies like LiDAR and UAV-based platforms are still evolving yet can significantly help forest professionals address natural resource health concerns like our current spruce budworm outbreak in northern Maine while increasing wood supply, improving harvest operations, and accessing new markets,” said Aaron Weiskittel, a professor at the University of Maine.

New products

A second emphasis is on the development of new products derived from wood that create business opportunities and manufacturing jobs in rural communities while providing goods and services drawn from domestic and renewable forest resources. 

“Examples of catalytic efforts underway in this region include wood fiber insulation as an alternative to fiberglass, advanced molded fiber packaging for consumer products in place of single-use plastics, biodegradable medical textiles instead of polyester resins and 3D-printed wood-fiber structures as substitutes for traditional steel or concrete buildings,” said Alicia Cramer, COO at the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities.

The grant could accelerate product advancements, she said.

Coalition

The coalition includes the Northern Forest Center, the Universities of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Dartmouth College, Maine Development Foundation, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities. 

The coalition developed the proposal with support from a National Science Foundation planning grant secured in 2023.

To date, the foundation’s program has invested $135 million across nine  projects and leveraged more than $1 billion in matching commitments from private industry, philanthropy and state and local governments.