MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The National Hardwood Lumber Association announced today that it has been awarded a $500,000 matching grant from the USDA Forest Service Wood Innovations Program to support and expand markets for the United States hardwood industry.

"We appreciate the USDA Forest Service supporting the hardwood forest industry's important role in ensuring a sustainable future, healthy forests, and robust rural communities," said Dallin Brooks, NHLA Executive Director. "The critical thing to consider with this project is, 'What will move the market back to hardwood decorative products?' The answer is important as we work to make a shift possible."

NHLA's focus is to grow and stabilize the hardwood lumber market and industry. The project team will work on several goals to 1) Create online content on hardwood information for architects, specifiers, designers, structural engineers, and other hardwood users. 2) Distribute content to architects, specifiers, designers, structural engineers, and other hardwood users in person and online. 3) Find and enhance communication to hardwood sawmills about optimization and education services provided by the Forest Service, NHLA, and other organizations to improve business operations, increase log yield recovery, find grant opportunities, understand automation, research grading impacts, and workforce development.

"The Forest Service is excited to work with the National Hardwood Lumber Association through the Wood Innovation Program to expand hardwood markets and increase the use of hardwood as a construction material," said Brian Brashaw, Assistant Director, State, Private & Tribal Forestry, Wood Innovations. "Healthy forests depend on a healthy wood products economy, and this support will directly help improve the management and sustainability of our hardwood forests."

Additionally, several NHLA members were awarded funds from the USDA Forest Service under the Wood Innovations and Community Wood grant programs.

• Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods $300,000, Log Merchandising System for Expanded Forest Utilization in Southern Appalachia
• Matson Lumber Company $300,000, Improving Forest Health by Minimizing Wood Waste in the Allegheny National Forest Region
• Brownlee Lumber, Inc. $300,000, Advancing Sawmill Efficiency & Sustainable Forestry through Optimized Edger Technology
• Northwest Hardwoods, Inc. $262,318, Microtec CT Log Scanning Feasibility Assessment
• Northern Hardwoods Lumber, LLC $1,000,000, Northern Hardwoods Biomass Boiler and Energy System
• Dunaway Timber Company $300,000, Wood Pellet Plant in Western Kentucky
• Bingaman & Son Lumber $1,000,000, Hardwood Grade Scanner & Bin Sorter
• BPM Lumber $1,197,848, Hardwood AI Optimized Grading & Ripping Vision Scanning System
• Cumberland Cooperage $1,000,000, Kiln & Boiler System Upgrade