Forest Products Laboratory
Logo of the US Forest Service.
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | June 4, 1910 |
| Jurisdiction | Federal Government of the United States |
| Headquarters | 1 Gifford Pinchot Drive, Madison, WI 53726 |
| Agency executive |
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| Parent agency | US Department of Agriculture United States Forest Service |
| Website | www.fpl.fs.fed.us @fsWoodLab |
The Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) is the national research laboratory of the United States Forest Service, which is part of USDA. Since its opening in 1910, the FPL has provided scientific research on wood, wood products and their commercial uses in partnership with academia, industry, tribal, state, local and other government agencies. The laboratory is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. The focus of the Forest Products Laboratory is to promote healthy forests and forest-based economies through the efficient, sustainable use of the Nation's wood resources.
The Forest Products Laboratory was conceived of in 1907 by McGarvey Cline, chief of the U.S. Forest Service Office of Wood Utilization. Cline saw the need for a centralized research facility in order to improve coordination among regional research centers. Along with Forest Service Chief Gifford Pinchot, Cline selected the University of Wisconsin campus as the site for this new laboratory. Operations began at 1509 University Avenue, in what today is the UW Materials Science and Engineering Building. The dedication ceremony occurred under new Chief Henry S. Graves on June 4, 1910. Raphael Zon's advocacy of research led to the organization of the first Federal Forest Experiment Stations and the Forest Products Laboratory under the Branch of Research, which was formed in 1915. In 1932, the Forest Products Laboratory began relocation to its current facility on the western end of the University of Wisconsin campus.
Research at the FPL has improved quality of life for nearly every American by facilitating breakthroughs in housing, packaging, recycling, and conservation of forest resources. The FPL has also made numerous important contributions to the country during its history, including crucial research for the armed forces during times of war.
The mission of the Forest Products Laboratory is to identify and conduct innovative wood and fiber utilization research that contributes to conservation and productivity of the forest resource, thereby sustaining forests, the economy, and quality of life. The FPL is organized into seven primary Research Work Units. These units utilize the testing resources of several laboratories and informational repositories located within numerous FPL campus facilities. Five primary Areas of Focus are the center of all FPL research. Collaboration on this research takes place with various other Federal agencies; state, local, and tribal governments; private industry and academic institutions.
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