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Economics, environment at heart of rural house project
By Adam Johnson, F&C Construction Writer, Finance and Commerce
November 28, 2006

Workers are preparing to put the finishing touches on a house in Aitkin that represents a rare collaboration between environmental and economic interest groups in rural Minnesota.

The 1,300-square-foot demonstration house sports flooring and external siding certified by the Forest Stewardship Council—which is why people are calling it the “FSC Home.”

Using wood certified by the international standard-bearer for sustainable forestry was, in fact, a primary motivator for the project, said Ross Wagner, Aitkin County’s economic development director and forest industry coordinator. Construction of the FSC Home is part of an effort to supply low-cost housing for the county’s residents.

Aitkin County holds the distinction of being the first public land managers to achieve certification from the 14-year-old forestry organization. But the county’s interest in the project – partially funded by a grant from the McKnight Foundation – went beyond responsible forestry, as did the interests of the project developer.

Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that encourages rural economic development, took on its first residential project with the FSC Home in order to promote housing construction as a development tool in rural Minnesota. St. Paul-based Talor Building Systems is the project’s construction manager.

The builder used in-floor radiant heating, natural lighting and other energy-efficient building practices to ensure the house is inexpensive to operate. But unlike many energy-efficient houses on the market, the FSC Home also boasts a triple-threat of populist building practices: local resources, environmentally friendly practices and low construction costs.

Some of the internal work won’t be complete until the end of the year, so project officials declined to put a price on final construction costs. But Dovetail project developer Alison Lindburg said the price would meet state criteria for “affordable housing,” and should be well under $200,000.

The emphasis on local resources is part of Dovetail’s mission, said Katie Fernholz, executive director of the organization.

“The premise behind our ‘eco-affordable’ housing program is that we know these rural communities need houses,” Fernholz said. “And whether for social reasons or economic reasons, contractors are looking to make these local connections and get more inroads into these communities.”

That desire led Talor to work with Snowy Pines Reforestation, which supplied the FSC-certified wood from nearby Browerville.

The local, family-owned business has been planting trees and promoting forest stewardship for almost 30 years, but the FSC Home provided a rare opportunity to put their certified product to use on a larger scale.

“It was just a breath of fresh air,” said Greg Nolan, co-owner of Snowy Pines. “To have done all those years of work and get everything certified, and finally we got an order and can make some money.”

Nolan’s own focus is not only on doing business locally, but on sustainable agriculture. Almost half of the logs Nolan saws come from dying or damaged trees and local salvage operations. He’s also committed to energy reduction, powering his shop with 20 solar panels and air drying most of his wood.

“We have a really different way of looking at kiln drying, and energy for that matter,” he said, noting that his drying techniques aren’t revolutionary so much as old fashioned. “We just really think it’s a sin how much energy gets put into wood today.”

Like Snowy Pines, other businesses hired to work on the FSC Home share an interest in supporting local businesses with an environmental bent.

“We’re trying to bring all these things together on this project,” Fernholz said. “Economic development is part of it, but the environmental benefits are absolutely important as well.”

For Talor, the primary driving force behind their work is to reduce construction costs, which will provide economic benefits to northern Minnesota, where building subcontractors and suppliers have not kept pace with similar jobs in urban areas.

Steve Eskelson, vice president of operations at Talor, compared the company’s goals to those of auto pioneer John Ford.

“He made automobiles affordable for the people who were actually making automobiles,” Eskelson said. “We are focused on [business] models that look at how you can reduce costs to the point where housing is affordable to the average person.”

To that end, the company pre-builds framed walls and assembles them on-site like a jigsaw puzzle, significantly reducing construction time and labor costs. The FSC Home was a prime example of that speed.

“Our main bailiwick is to get the shell of the building up,” Eskelson said. “Within three days, we had the roof up and shingles going on.”

Though the project employed a St. Paul construction manager, much of the labor on the project was hired locally; Dovetail is looking to use the FSC Home project as a model for local job growth that others can follow.

And with Aitkin County officials interested in providing more affordable housing, the potential exists for similar projects in the coming years.

“Certainly the green building market in the urban areas is humming along, but there’s really a gap in getting those projects to rural communities,” Fernholz said. “And with these forest-dependant communities, there are perfect opportunities to help local economies. We’re definitely looking to repeat this project.”

Leading Professors of Forestry Support Fellow Scholar

AUBURN, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ten distinguished professors from across the United States have issued an open letter to the media supporting Texas A&M University Professor Emeritus Thomas Bonnicksen and criticizing three professors with differing views for trying to stifle the debate over forest management.

"Their attack is a violation of professional standards of conduct in science: the free exchange of ideas and collegiality among scholars," the professors say in an open letter to the media. "We adamantly oppose any effort to stifle his contribution to the debate on proper management of our nation's forests."

The professors are from Yale University, University of California, Berkeley, Humboldt State University, Clemson University and the universities of Minnesota, Tennessee and the University of Washington. They say they are appalled at an open letter to the media published recently by three professors and an adjunct faculty member that attacked Dr. Bonnicksen.

For more information, click here.

Certification Growing in Aitkin County

Private woodland owners invited to participate in new project

Aitkin, Minn. Oct. 5, 2006–   Nearly 10 years ago, the forests managed by the Aitkin County Land Department became FSC-certified.   This year, private landowners in the county are being offered the same opportunity for their own woodlands.   The Aitkin County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is offering a group certification program to make it easier for woodland owners in the county to have their forests certified and to market certified products. One of the landowners already participating is Roger Howard, former Land Commissioner for Aitkin County.

"I was part of the decision to get the county lands certified, and now I'm doing it for my own property," says Howard.

Landowners with at least 10 acres of forestland in Aitkin County are eligible for the program.   To qualify for certification landowners should have a forest stewardship plan.   The SWCD can help develop this plan and help landowners identify management activities that will meet their goals for wildlife, recreation, water quality, forestry, and other objectives.

"We've been looking at certification for a while and it seems like now is the time to make it happen," says Dennis Thompson, SWCD Forester.  "Certification and the markets for certified products have really been growing."

Gary Bradford, a landowner with property just south of Aitkin has had his forest FSC-certified for a few years.   Gary is also President of the Northwoods Forestry Cooperative that helps with forest management and marketing.

"Certification has helped make me a better manager, and I like what I see happening in my woods," says Bradford.   "I wish I'd started some of these things 20-years ago, but better late than never."

Funding from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCMR) and a grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service – USDA are helping support the SWCD's group certification project.   Dovetail Partners, a non-profit that works on sustainable forestry issues is providing technical assistance.

"A group certification program like what the SWCD is offering means landowners have the help of the SWCD in getting into certification and accessing the potential benefits," says Kathryn Fernholz of Dovetail Partners. "Landowners don't have to figure it all out by themselves. Group certification makes it quicker, easier, cheaper."

Certification is entirely voluntary and landowners often have many different reasons for choosing to participate.   Some landowners are interested in the marketing benefits, some landowners want to improve their management for wildlife and other objectives, and some landowners like the extra assistance from the forester in implementing their management plan.

"If you're already interested in taking care of your land for the wildlife and all the other benefits, you might as well get certified and get some marketplace recognition for your efforts as well," says Howard.

Landowners interested in participating or learning more about the SWCD's program can contact Dennis Thompson at 218-927-6565.

A Planning Guide for Small and Medium Size Wood Products Companies

At the beginning of the 21st century, North American wood products companies are facing competitive pressure from numerous sources. Traditional products are being manufactured in new regions and substitute products are being developed by competing industries. The bottom line is strained by greater restriction of natural resources and the general rising cost of doing business. All of this pressure is stretching the abilities of the wood products manager to the limit. The times are changing, and they’re changing quickly. So what can be done to improve the chances of success and maximize a firm’s capabilities? Research has shown that a formal planning process is a key to the success of manufacturing companies, especially with regard to developing new products and new markets.

To download the Planning Guide, click here (pdf).  To request a hardcopy, contact Dovetail.

Local Woods Build Local Homes

Project demonstrates diverse and abundant resources

Minneapolis, Minn. Sept. 18, 2006 –   Flooring, siding, cabinets, and even the bathroom vanities in the Aitkin FSC Home are all coming from local companies using local woods.   "If we could make the kitchen sink out of wood – we'd probably do that too!," says Jeff Howe, President of Dovetail Partners.

"This project really illustrates how many products are available from local companies and how many of those are made with local resources," says Alison Lindburg, Director of Dovetail Partner's Eco-Affordable Housing Program.  

Wood used in the house being built in the City of Aitkin is coming from trees grown, managed and harvested in Aitkin County and nearby forests.   The county-managed and state-managed lands in Aitkin County are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as well managed.   Some private forestlands in the county are also FSC-certified.

"The forests of Aitkin County are like a do-it-yourselfer's dream," according to Ross Wagner, head of Aitkin County Economic Development.  "If it can be made from wood, it can probably be made from wood from our forests."

The cabinets for the home are being made by Custom Creations in Tamarack, Minnesota.   The owner of Custom Creations, Neil Stecker has been making cabinets from the local forests for many years.   "I like working with the wood from this part of the world," says Stecker.   "From pine to birch and everything in between, it is good wood to work with and makes a nice finished product."

Neil's company is also a member of the Upper Mississippi Certified Forest Products Group.   This group of small businesses has committed to using local FSC-certified wood in their products.   The Aitkin County Economic Development office provides support for the group. The group has also been supported with funding from the McKnight Foundation and the Blandin Foundation.   There are currently 14 local businesses in the group.

"Members of the group are able to produce and sell FSC-certified products and share the costs of the certification audits," say Wagner.  "It makes it easier for small businesses to participate in certification and creates new markets for our local products."

The house will be completed and ready for open houses this fall. The McKnight Foundation, Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation, and Surdna Foundation are providing support for this project.   Project financing is through Bremer Bank.

For further information, click here.

Green Homes for Rural Communities
Dovetail Launches Eco-Affordable Housing Project in Aitkin

White Bear Lake, Minn. July 17, 2006 - In Aitkin County housing was becoming a major problem.  

“Any family that wanted to buy a house had two options – buy a fixer-upper or buy a million dollar lake home,” according to Ross Wagner, head of Aitkin County Economic Development. 

“These two options demonstrate a growing problem in Minnesota – low-to-middle-income housing is just not available to the people that live and work in these communities,” states Alison Lindburg, the director of Dovetail's Eco-Affordable Housing Program.

Besides challenges with housing, rural communities are also often searching for economic development opportunities. One opportunity in Northern Minnesota that helps address both issues is to connect the local wood products companies with the green building movement.

The complete press release and additional information is available at: http://www.dovetailinc.org/AitkinPR0706.html

Kathryn Fernholz Selected for Regional Leadership Project

Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, is one of twenty-six leaders from a five-state northern Great Plains region invited to participate in the Meadowlark Project: A Leadership Laboratory on the Future of the Northern Great Plains.   The Meadowlark Project is an intensive 18-month social change project designed to find new ways to address long-standing, systemic problems in the region.

The selected members of the Leadership Laboratory Team represent the range of community sectors ( industry, agriculture, media, arts, government, religion and non-profit), the states in the NGP region (North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska), as well as the growing diversity of the region. Each participant has committed 30 full days of time over the next 18 months.

The Project will approach its goal of demonstrating that the northern Great Plains can be a place of opportunity for all people by focusing its work on some of the most complex problems that the region faces including: migration of youth from rural areas; on-going racial divisions; hidden and insidious poverty; increased non-resident land ownership; implications of global warming for our land use and water availability; impacts of rapidly changing national and global economic structures; and a belief that the region must accept whatever future the market determines for it.

The Meadowlark Project is organized by Northern Great Plains Inc. (NGP), a Fargo-based non-profit research, demonstration and convening organization committed to maximizing the potential of the northern Great Plains through multi-sector collaboration. NGP is partnering with the Sustainability Institute and Generon Consulting. The Leadership Lab Team will work with and learn from global leaders such as Adam Kahane, Hal Hamilton, Susan Stickley, Brian Arthur and others.   Additional information can be found at www.ngplains.org .

Dovetail Awarded Grant to Support Forest Certification for Family Forestlands
USDA AWARDS NEARLY $20 MILLION IN CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANTS

SAVANNAH, Ga., June 19, 2006-Agriculture Under Secretary Mark Rey today awarded nearly $20 million in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) to 38 states to fund 66 projects designed to develop and refine cutting-edge technologies and approaches that can help producers maintain viable agricultural operations.

For the complete press release and list of grant recipients, click here.

Dovetail Partners Receives Major Grant from Surdna Foundation

$200,000 Grant Expands Resources to Support Responsible Forestry

Dovetail Signs onto Letter Supporting Pilot Certification Assessments on National Forests

In 2005, the USDA Forest Service, in partnership with the Pinchot Institute for Conservation, announced plans for certification “pilot tests” on 7 National Forest units around the country. The purpose of the project is to provide the Forest Service with a greater understanding of the value and applicability of forest certification to the National Forest System.  More information about this project is available from http://www.pinchot.org/certification.htm.

In March, Dovetail Partners signed onto a letter to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC-US) supporting the completion of these pilot assessments and a renewed effort to find workable solutions for engaging federal lands in certification opportunities.  The entire letter is available by clicking here (pdf, 72kb).
 

Dovetail collaborates on ‘Healthy Forest’ pilot projects

MADISON, WISCONSIN– The Wisconsin Healthy Forest Program (WHFP) is conducting three pilot projects funded in part by $61,000 in grants from the Turner Foundation, the Weyerhaeuser Corp and the Federal Forest Legacy program. The projects areas include Liberty Grove Township in Door County, Baraboo Bluffs in Greenfield and Caledonia Townships in Sauk and Columbia counties and the Stora Enso Family Forest program in Portage County.

Project collaborators include: Wisconsin Family Forests, Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association, DNR-Division of Forestry - Cooperative Development Services, Clark Forestry, Stora Enso, Dovetail Partners, The Nature Conservancy, UW Department of Forest Ecology, Turner Foundation and the Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation.

“The overall objective of the pilot projects is to judge the effectiveness of using local sponsors to assist forest landowners in practicing sustainable forestry on their lands,” said Paul Pingrey, private forestry specialist with the state Department of Natural Resources. “It will provide another avenue for landowners to access professional forestry services.”

The Wisconsin Healthy Forest Program is a public-private partnership being coordinated by Wisconsin Family Forests, Inc., Gerry Mich, executive director, 625 E County Road Y Suite 700, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901, (920) 424-7888.

“If the results from the pilot projects are favorable, DNR might consider offering the WHFP statewide sometime in the future,” Pingrey says.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, Click Here.