Governor Reynolds proclaims Wood Products Week to celebrate Iowa forests

Governor Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation declaring Oct. 17-21 as Wood Products Week.
Wood Products Week, celebrated the third week in October, is a time to showcase the varied uses and products of Iowa’s 2.8 million acres of hardwood forests and support the people who carry on the tradition of careful stewardship of these precious natural resources for generations to come.
Iowa’s forests are unique, hidden gems in a land of farm fields and grasslands. Some of the most beautiful forests in the Midwest are found in Iowa. Through sustainable management, forests can stay productive and healthy through timber sales and provide wood products like heirloom-worthy furniture, beautiful cabinets and hardwood flooring.
Healthy, growing forests clean our air and water, conserve our soil and energy resources, provide critical wildlife habitat, and make our communities a more pleasant place to live and work.
Goods that come from our forests make our lives easier and more comfortable. They give us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires, and countless other wood products. Wood products are recyclable, durable and energy efficient.
Iowa forests are a sustainable-working natural resource that provide economic development opportunities for 158,000 private woodland owners. Iowa sawmills provide good paying jobs for about 600 employees in rural areas. Learn more about the economic impact of Iowa’s forests on the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov/Conservation/Forestry/Wood-Industry-Logging.
Iowa’s best grown trees can produce logs that are sold on a worldwide market. Iowa is internationally known for its high-quality black walnut trees. These valuable trees are prized for their use as a veneer. Walnut heartwood has a unique color, allowing it to command much better prices compared to any other tree in the United States.
Iowa’s forests are unique, hidden gems in a land of farm fields and grasslands. Some of the most beautiful forests in the Midwest are found in Iowa.
Goods that come from our forests make our lives easier and more comfortable. They give us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires, and countless other wood products.
Here’s some fun options for you and your family to celebrate Iowa forests this fall.
• Explore a State Forest.
• Select local lumber for home improvement projects from area sawmills and the Habitat for Humanity ReStores in Des Moines and Iowa City. Learn more at www.iowadnr.gov/urbanwood.
• Discover the unique qualities of common Iowa trees in your neighborhood.
• Take a behind the scenes tour of an Iowa wood-based business.
• Attend a forestry field day.
Celebrate Wood Products Week by learning more about Iowa forests and how you can support wood recycling in your community on the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov/Forestry.