Urban Wood: A Local Resource with Global Benefits

Urban wood gives felled city trees a second life as sustainable building materials. Learn how this wood source reduces waste, stores carbon and strengthens communities.

Certifications

What is Urban Wood?

Urban wood is a broad term for wood salvaged from trees removed for reasons other than lumber production. These removals often result from disease, storm damage, hazard mitigation, or development. At Urban Evolutions, we partner with municipalities and arborists to salvage these trees, giving them a second life as beautiful and functional building materials. 

Since 2021, our Urban Wood Program has worked with municipalities across Wisconsin to salvage and process trees into usable lumber. To date, we’ve saved 912 tons of urban wood from the waste stream — a carbon offset equal to burning 63,000 gallons of gasoline or driving 1.1 million miles. And we’re just getting started.

Benefits of Urban Wood Urban Wood Urban Wood

Mitigation

Reducing Waste and Pressure on Forests

Each year in the U.S., 12.7 million metric tons of urban wood logs are chipped, burned, or sent to landfills. Much of this material could instead be processed into high-quality lumber. Salvaging urban wood reduces disposal costs for municipalities, diverts waste from landfills, and helps reduce pressure on commercial forests.

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Increasing Carbon Storage

Urban wood in the U.S. could sequester up to 5.7 million metric tons of carbon annually if preserved as building materials. Capturing even 20% of this lumber each year would equal the carbon offset of planting 154 million trees and growing them for 10 years.

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Creating Circular Local Resources

Using felled city trees as lumber reduces reliance on imports and provides builders with unique species and cleaner grades not found in traditional reclaimed sources. Municipal forestry departments save on disposal costs, while small sawmills and wood processors gain valuable business. By working together, we keep the value of urban wood resources within our communities.

Mitigation

Reducing Waste and Pressure on Forests

Each year in the U.S., 12.7 million metric tons of urban wood logs are chipped, burned, or sent to landfills. Much of this material could instead be processed into high-quality lumber. Salvaging urban wood reduces disposal costs for municipalities, diverts waste from landfills, and helps reduce pressure on commercial forests.

climate smart innovation (1)

Increasing Carbon Storage

Urban wood in the U.S. could sequester up to 5.7 million metric tons of carbon annually if preserved as building materials. Capturing even 20% of this lumber each year would equal the carbon offset of planting 154 million trees and growing them for 10 years.

freepik__a_single_line_art_icon_of_the_universal_recyc

Creating Circular Local Resources

Using felled city trees as lumber reduces reliance on imports and provides builders with unique species and cleaner grades not found in traditional reclaimed sources. Municipal forestry departments save on disposal costs, while small sawmills and wood processors gain valuable business. By working together, we keep the value of urban wood resources within our communities.

Urban Wood in Action

Let’s create something beautiful together

Ready to start your next project? Contact us today to learn how we can bring your vision to life.
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OFFICE

2401 W. COLLEGE AVE.
APPLETON, WI 54914
920.380.4149
MON-THUR 7AM – 4:30PM
FRI 7AM – 11AM

RETAIL

2405 W. COLLEGE AVE.
APPLETON, WI 54914
920.257.5900
MON-SAT 10AM – 5PM
SUN 11AM – 4PM