Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1511664
44 PalletCentral • November-December 2023 palletcentral.com demolition, can have a useful life in new wood products like furniture and other wood crafts. Reclaimed wood has a singular beauty. It is weathered, has character, and is an environmentally sustainable way to build. Sometimes salvaged wood is from rare species no longer used for building. The Future of Urban Sawmills What started as a few individuals harvesting local trees has spread through the wood products industry. Non-profi t organizations are beginning to coordinate and support urban sawmills. As these networks grow they will provide vital information for cities and other consumers. ey can become trusted allies in helping people fi nd reliable sources of sustainable wood. A well-run network will increase consumer confi dence, building the reputation of urban sawmills as knowledgeable and trustworthy. e urban sawmill can become a central cog of the new urban forestry. Accessibility to a mill makes reclaiming urban trees possible and sustainable. e addition of accessible portable and stationary urban sawmills to an area can transform its urban forestry. Forest managers can make better use of their budgets and their trees while supporting the community. Harvested city trees, salvaged fallen trees, and reclaimed wood are all valuable additions to the sustainability of the wood products industry. With enough urban sawmills, this wood can provide building materials, jobs, and advance circular economies. Urban sawmills and other sustainable urban forestry practices help protect city trees and resources. ey allow a type of recycling, and upcycling, that brings in revenue and keeps removed trees out of the waste cycle. eir carbon stays sequestered and does not contribute to climate change. Urban forestry is changing. As more urban trees are milled locally, what began as a trend can become another sustainability success story for the wood products industry.