Research at the Forest Service's Forest Products Laboratory is finding new and innovative ways to transform these materials into nanocellulose products. From strengthening cement to extending shelf life of food, the lab is turning forest byproducts into high-performance materials of tomorrow. (Forest Service video)

Forest thinning keeps forests healthier and reduces the risk of catastrophic wildfires. But forest thinning is usually done when trees are too small to become lumber. For now, it is chopped up and left as forest fertilizer or put into piles to be burned. But the Forest Products Laboratory is finding more useful solutions.

“We are able to take forest residues and forest resources that otherwise may not have an application, convert them to cellulose nanomaterials, and incorporate them into new products,” said Forest Service's Forest Products Laboratory Supervisory Chemical Engineer Nicole Stark.

The lab is finding that these tiny particles of wood have many uses, including faster-drying cement, better food storage, wastewater filters, and bullet-proof panels.

Play the video to join us at the Forest Products Laboratory for an inside look at these new technologies.

Created in collaboration with the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities.