Forest WRX
Alliance
The Forest WRX Alliance is an alliance of private, nonprofit, academic, tribal and government partners formed to create social, economic, and environmental sustainability by removing biomass and smaller diameter trees on all lands. We are growing a complementary, innovative forest product business ecosystem that uses low-value fiber to produce value-added products for market and non-market benefits.
Our Mission
Why we care…
We are rooted in a love of the land. Healthy, functional forests are integral to healthy communities and deliver significant ecological, and economic benefits:
SOCIAL
Scenic and cultural resources are important to sense of place, community stability and identity. Essential products include firewood, traditional and innovative materials for residential and commercial buildings, energy, food and floral products.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Clean air and water are important to public health, municipal water supply and agriculture. Forest experiences provide opportunities for social bonding and personal growth and renewal.
ENVIRONMENT
Ecosystem services like carbon storage and sequestration, nutrient cycling, wildlife and fish habitat, biodiversity, air purification, water storage and release are foundational to social and economic sustainability.
RECREATION
Recreational and cultural opportunities important to the quality of life of Californians, include scenic views, trails and water resources important to California lifestyle and tourism. Further improve personal health and wellness, and reduce costs associated with poor health.
ECONOMICS
Jobs and labor income in rural communities supporting the stewardship economy and reducing risk to communities and infrastructure create social and economic stability that can be further developed.
Values
- Love of the land
- Regenerative practices that nourish people and the land
- Diversity of perspectives and respect for one another
- Working together in ways that enrich us all
Beliefs & Assumptions
- Dense forests are susceptible to drought, disease, insects resulting in higher mortality (dead standing trees).
- Poor forest health increases risks of large-scale high-severity wildfire.
- Emissions from catastrophic wildfire increase occurrence of extreme climate events (high winds, temperatures, precipitation) and increase wildfire risk.
- Catastrophic wildfire impacts and significant rural economic transition poses significant threats to the continued survival and well-being of rural communities in our region.
- The need for systemic long-term solutions that work at multiple scales is urgent.
- Active stewardship is needed to improve landscape conditions and community well-being.
- Markets for low-value forest fiber are needed to reduce forest treatment costs and increase economic activity (jobs & income).
- Non-toxic innovative wood products that increase carbon benefits represents significant opportunities to revitalize our communities and forests and support the circular economy.
- Productive capacity of north state lands and existing institutions, cultural values position us to be leaders in forest stewardship circular economy.
Focal Industries
BioEnergy:
- Mobile CoGen – Mobile small-scale energy and heat systems derived from biomass.
- Biofuels – Fuels developed from woody biomass and used to replace petroleum based fuels.
- Biomass Energy –5MW cogeneration plant using mill waste through California’s BioMAT Program. Reduces mill waste costs and disposal risk, produces energy and heat for kilns, essential to create mass timber products.
Other Agricultural Products:
- Innovative Biomaterials – Bioplastics, polymers, biomedical applications, food additives.
- Textiles – Biomass transformed into innovative textiles– E.g., Mushroom leather from tan oak biomass – Doc
Marten, Adidas, Hermes product lines using vegan-leather. – - Biochar – Soil amendment to build structure, store nutrients, and build soil carbon storage capacity.
- Industrial Scale Vermiculture – Biomass for vermiculture (worm compost) that cleans dairy and winery
wastewater. - Biomass Oil – Carbon removal technology that converts biomass to a stable carbon-rich liquid, pumped deep
underground for long-term carbon storage.
Innovative Building and Construction Technologies
- Mass Timber Production – Large wood building components for floors, walls, roofs or structural elements made
from dimensional lumber for low to high-rise buildings. Industry experts project demand for mass timber in the U.S. to double every two years through 2034. - Panelized Building Fabrication – Develop construction fabrication facilities that use mass timber.
- Building sheathing, Roofing, and Flooring – Mineralized biomass for home sheathing, roofing, and flooring.
- Wood Fiber Insulation – High-performance boards, batts, and loose fill, sequesters carbon and recyclable.
- Wood Wool Cement – Wood wool cement is a building material made of wood fibers mineralized with cement, creating a versatile, lightweight panel with good thermal insulation, acoustic absorption, and fire resistance properties.
- Clearwash™ – Clearwash is an innovative bioaggregate technology that transforms various agricultural residues into high-performance building materials with superior thermal insulation properties through a specialized process that optimizes the cellulose fibers’ porosity and binding capabilities.
Ecosystem Service Markets
- Carbon Market- Reduced Emissions from Megafires; Biochar; Bio-Hydrogen, Carbon Vaults, Energy Production with Carbon Capture System
- Water – Green Infrastructure Investments
- Biodiversity Conservation Investments
