About Strategic Initiatives
To meet our mission of delivering integrated research solutions, NRRI is focused on three strategic initiatives that address the challenges of Minnesota’s resource-based economy. These initiatives are bold and long-term efforts to create the economy of the future by incorporating diverse expertise across NRRI, the University system and with our partners.
Initiative Overview
NRRI seeks to assist Minnesota’s incumbent and emerging forest products industries evolve to offer a robust and competitive portfolio of value-add building products, engineered carbon materials, non-fossil fuels and materials while offering carbon sequestration and agro-forestry options.
Impact
To contribute to a clean and vibrant economy, the forest products sector must develop engineered materials that serve contemporary and future societal needs. This evolution must sustain forests and terrestrial ecosystems and maintain a healthy human environment through responsible use of renewable biomass and organic waste streams.
Goal
NRRI researchers are developing engineered materials from renewable resources that address market needs through applied science and engineering. Research is guided by a Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment approach with strategic opportunity management tools. Translating this research to industry offers opportunities in natural climate solutions – carbon centric management and novel materials that offer long-term carbon storage – important economic drivers that will support a resilient forest-based industry sector in the coming decades.
Partners
Partners
- Public forestland owners
- United States Forest Service
- State of Minnesota
- Minnesota Counties
- Private Landowners
- Tribal
- Industrial
- Family-owned
- Habitat Conservation Organizations
- Ruffed Grouse Society
- Environmental Organizations and NGOs
- The Nature Conservancy
- Bioeconomy Coalition of Minnesota
- Industry and private sector
- Minerals and metals Industries
- Wood Products Industry
- Energy and Power Generation Industry
- City and County Government
- City of Minneapolis
- Becker County
- City of Duluth
- USDA-Agricultural Research Service
Future Forest Industries Programs
Understanding the characteristics, production, and application of fit-for-purpose biocarbon products to develop sustainable solutions for environmental challenges and industrial needs.
Commercializing and improving fast-growing trees for various applications, including bioenergy production, carbon sequestration and environmental remediation.
Learning to harness the power of the sun and photosynthesis to fix atmospheric carbon and convert biomass to green fuels by leveraging the emerging hydrogen economy.
Cross-cutting institute expertise that supports all NRRI programs and projects, from developing custom web applications for visualizing data to material testing, and spatial analysis.
Developing innovative, renewable, bio-based materials that can replace petroleum-based materials in various industries and applications to reduce carbon emissions.
Future Forest Industries Projects
The ForCAST tool attempts to provide forestry professionals and land managers with an opportunity to evaluate how a changing climate and changing markets might affect Minnesota’s forests and
Demonstration of a Thermally Modified Eastern Larch Boardwalk to Catalyze New Markets for Low-value Timber.
Recent News
Wide range of perspectives will inform NRRI and help coalesce a pathway for initiative to transform large, legacy industries
NRRI’s InnovaTree is a fast-growing option for landscapes impacted by beetle infestation or storm blow-downs
Wood products ‘dream team’ helps basketball floor manufacturer compete with heavy wear
Providing a forum to develop international forest research and collaboration networks between universities, government, and research institutions in Finland and Minnesota.