Heavy timber has been used in construction for hundreds of years. Today, new technologies allow us to quickly assess material properties, grade round timber for its structural capabilities, assign it design values and scale it through a fabrication process that rivals both traditional timber framing and modern engineered wood products. 

Structural Round Timber (SRT) is recognized by the International Building Code (IBC) as heavy timber and is suitable for a broad range of applications. SRT can be used in wood construction types III, IV, and V construction, and Type II with variances. The approval of new tall mass timber code provisions in the 2021 IBC allows greater opportunities for mass timber construction than ever before. 

For more information on the International Code Council and the International Building Code please visit: https://www.iccsafe.org/

Sustainably managed forests fulfill a critical role in society and are an important part of all of our lives. Forests provide society and our local communities numerous benefits that we enjoy every day. Everywhere we turn, there is something we use that either directly or indirectly comes from the forest. 

Sustainably managed forests provide the diversity of habitat that creates the home for numerous species of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and more.  This is accomplished by providing protection and cover, nesting sites, migratory corridors, down woody debris, dens, vernal pools, and foraging opportunities, just to name a few.

Increasing urban development across the nation has only added to the importance of the recreational opportunities provided by sustainably managed forests.

Forests provide an avenue to escape from the stresses of life and to connect and experience nature. Opportunities such as hiking, fishing, hunting, bird watching, snowmobiling, snow shoeing, camping, and many other active and challenging activities are all provided by sustainably managed forests. 

Sustainably Managed Forests Help Keep Natural Resources Clean

• Air

Forests improve the quality of the air we breathe by removing particulates from the air such as pollen, smoke, ash, and dust.

Forests also remove other harmful pollutants from the air, such as nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and ground level ozone, all which can all cause health issues in humans.  

• Soil

Soil is an important component of a managed forest ecosystem and contributes directly to a forest’s diversity of plant and tree species.

Forests help prevent soil erosion by reducing the impact of heavy rains on the forest floor.  Tree roots provide support to the soil and help keep soil in place on steep slopes. Forests also help maintain soil fertility through natural nutrient cycling.

• Water

Managed forests play a vital role in maintaining water quality by collecting and filtering rainfall, cleaning and purifying it before that water enters our streams, rivers, lakes, and groundwater.

Forests also hold the soil in place, preventing erosion and the introduction of sediment into our waterways.  

Healthy, Working Forests Are a Climate Mitigation Solution

Sustainably managed forests are healthy forests.   Healthy and productive forests capture carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the form of tree trunks, leaves, branches, and roots.

When trees in a managed forest are harvested, they are manufactured into long-lived products that continue to store carbon, such as lumber and paper.  Harvest residues and milling byproducts (such as limbs, tree tops, sawdust, and wood chips) are also carbon beneficial.  They can be used to produce clean, renewable energy, reducing society’s reliance on fossil fuels. 

Following a timber harvest, sites are reforested through both natural regeneration and planting, restarting the carbon capture and storage cycle.

Coming Soon!

The US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program is designed to encourage the design and construction of buildings that utilize sustainable building materials, conserve water resources, and are energy efficient. LEED Certification ensures that a building is energy and resource efficient. SRT can complement other materials to help achieve certification. 

For more information on the USGBC LEED program, please visit: https://www.usgbc.org/ 

The International Living Future Institute’s Living Building Challenge is a certification program and philosophy intended to encourage the creation of a regenerative built environment. Living buildings are defined as: Regenerative buildings that connect occupants to light, air, food, nature, and community; Self-sufficient and remain within the resource limits of their site; Create a positive impact on the human and natural system that interact with them. SRT can complement other products to help achieve certification. 

For more information on the International Living Future Institute’s Living Building Challenge, please visit: https://living-future.org/

Seven Island Land Company

Founded in 1964 in Bangor, Maine, Seven Islands Land Company manages the Pingree Family timberlands in northern and western Maine.  Committed to a sustainable forest management mindset that has guided this working forest since the early 19^th century, the Company is dedicated to bettering the environment, strengthening our industry, and supporting the people in the communities in which we live and work. 

Town of Ashland: http://townofashland.org/ 

WholeTrees Structures Inc.: https://wholetrees.com/ 

Seven Island Land Co.: https://www.sevenislands.com/ 

University of Maine: https://umaine.edu/ 

Woodworks: https://www.woodworks.org/ 

Passivehaus Maine: https://www.passivhausmaine.org/ 

International Code Council: https://www.iccsafe.org/

USGBC: https://www.usgbc.org/ 

International Living Future Institute: https://living-future.org