A Common Mission Creating Extraordinary Results
Working to fulfill a mission to inform, collaborate, and connect to build community, business, and consumer confidence in the urban wood industry.
The Urban Wood Network is a collaborative network of urban wood industry professionals and stakeholders (individuals and entities) from across the United States and beyond.
The Urban Wood Network was developed in 2017 to formally unite unique urban wood industry groups and efforts under the common mission of growing professional and consumer confidence in the urban wood industry through information, collaboration, and connection.
Though urban wood utilization has occurred for decades, and informal networking around utilization has occurred in different areas across the U.S. since the 1990’s, we’ve learned that the only way to truly establish and support full circle urban forestry management is through a unified effort. Since the early 2000’s, the founding groups behind the Urban Wood Network program have worked diligently to unite, promote, and demonstrate urban wood utilization. Now our ever-growing network of urban wood industry professionals (from Municipalities and Arborists to Sawmills, Suppliers, Manufacturers & Makers, Design Professionals, and beyond) and state-specific chapters are provided access to consistent messaging/marketing tools and a useful platform for collective experience, support, and connectivity to help the industry thrive.
Who We Are
We are tree lovers, arborists, sawyers, woodworkers, manufacturers, municipalities, designers, architects, consultants, retailers and beyond that share a passion and an understanding of the urban wood industry.
Our History
Informal networking around urban wood utilization has been happening in isolated pockets across the country since the early 1990’s and was scaled up when the Emerald Ash Borer infestation hit Michigan in 2002. Millers, makers and urban forest stakeholders worked together to develop programming in Michigan, Wisconsin and beyond. In 2014 Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin collaborated on a USDA Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration Grant which led to the establishment of the Urban Wood Network in 2016. Around this same time, Urban Salvaged and Reclaimed Woods Inc. started a network based in California through funding from a Cal Fire Urban and Community Forestry Program grant. In 2019, these two groups joined together with the Forest Service’s Baltimore Urban Wood Project to unify efforts as the Urban Wood Network.
How You Can Help

Be a Local Champion
Become an advocate for utilization of urban wood, promote use of urban wood products, and become an active member of the Urban Wood Network.
Our Leadership
Advisory Members
Charlie Becker, Forest Products Marketing Unit Representative
U.S. Forest Service
John Melvin, State Agency representative
CAL Fire
Amanda Egan, Urban and Community Forestry Program Representative
U.S. Forest Service
Scott Altenhoff
UWN-Oregon Chapter Representative
Oregon Dept. of Forestry
Staffing
Vacant Position, Executive Director
Board of Directors
Lance Davisson, Chair
UWN-Idaho Chapter Representative
The Keystone Concept
Andy Trotter, Vice Chair
Tree Removal/Arborist Representative
West Coast Arborists
Paul Morrison, Secretary/Treasurer
UWN Wisconsin Chapter Representative
The Wood Cycle of Wisconsin
Jennifer Alger
UWN-Western Region Representative
Far West Forest Products
Paul Hickman
UWN-Michigan Chapter Representative
Urban Ashes
Joe Lehnen
UWN-Southeastern Region Representative
Virginia Dept. of Forestry
Rick Siewert
Design Professional Representative
Wood From the Hood
Dwayne Sperber
Wudeward Urban Forest Products