Virginia Tech has partnered with the Virginia Dept. of Forestry and North Carolina Forest Service to conduct research on urban wood waste. This material, also known as urban forest waste (UFW), can be described collectively as the wood, brush, and chips resulting from the pruning, felling, or removal of urban trees. In many cases, much of this UFW is being shipped to and disposed in landfills rather than utilized as a renewable natural resource.
The goal of this research project is to understand the amount and fate of UFW in urban areas across Virginia and North Carolina and characterize the attitudes, perceptions, and opinions of those resource professionals directly involved in UFW generation and utilization, while documenting existing or potential barriers to increased UFW utilization. The information generated by this project will inform future outreach and technical assistance activities aimed at improving UFW utilization.
