At the turn of the 19th century, logging had proceeded across much of the eastern United States and demands for wood products were rising rapidly. In 1910, the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) was established in Madison, Wisconsin, to find ways to conserve scarce timber resources.

For almost 100 years, our mission has been to use our Nation's wood resources wisely and efficiently, while at the same time keeping our forests healthy. Our research began with preserving railroad ties, and now we are venturing into nanotechnology and finding ways that our research can contribute to mitigating the impacts of climate change.

The FPL research staff has the experience and expertise needed to make us world renowned among forest products research organizations and an unbiased source of information. FPL researchers have longevity, with an average of 20 years of experience in their related fields.

The range of our wood research spans from fiber and chemical science to composites:

• Advanced wood structures
• Testing
• Economics
• Statistics
• Engineering properties of wood and wood-based materials
• Nanotechnology
• Biorefining and bioenergy
• Durability and wood protection
• Performance-enhanced biopolymers

We take pride in knowing that our research touches the American public's daily life. Whether it's putting a self-adhesive, environmentally friendly stamp on an envelope or walking on a hardwood floor, FPL has in some way contributed to making those products and innovations.