Ash Utilization Options Project of Southeast Michigan

Last Chance Logs to Lumber Backgrounder

Last Chance Logs to Lumber, a small, local, family-owned business, has been awarded a grant of $50,000 to assist with the purchase of a Hudson log loader/trailer, a Kotter kiln, and a Baker sawmill. This equipment will allow the part-time business to expand to become a full-time operation, one more step toward realizing the owner's dream of making Michigan "the leader in urban forestry utilization," an initiative that this company has affectionately dubbed "tree-cycling."

This company, a recipient of the Michigan White Pine Award for Environmental Excellence presented by the Michigan Senate and one of the first milling operations granted an EAB Compliance Agreement by the Michigan Department of Agriculture, has already taken a public role in educating government officials on the importance of urban forest "tree-cycling" by giving numerous demonstrations to Senator Laura Toy, Congressman Thaddeus McCotter, State Representative Kathleen Law, and city and county representatives from throughout Southeast Michigan. As stated in their grant funding proposal, the staff of Last Chance Logs to Lumber feel that these ash utilization initiatives "will show the residents of Michigan that there is a creative, intelligent, and positive alternative in dealing with [the EAB] issue." The company is proud of its role in this new industry, given its potential for generating jobs, providing education about the dangers of EAB, avoiding unnecessary grinding/burning of usable timber, and making valuable wood available to both communities and private residents.

Thanks to the RC&D's grant funding, the company will now be able to provide a wide variety of milling services to local neighborhoods. While under strict compliance with MDA regulations, Last Chance Logs to Lumber will pick up logs from local municipalities, private residences, tree service companies, and county and state parks. One contract with a municipality has already be obtained which will allow Last Chance Logs to Lumber to pick up all appropriate logs from this city's removals. Using their portable mill, their sawing operation can also be taken directly to any removal site in Southeast Michigan for efficient, custom processing without additional transportation costs. Additionally, Last Chance Logs to Lumber will feature full-time wood production from their stationary mill in Howell and will offer greater value-added opportunities through their custom kiln-drying services.

A wide variety of markets will be targeted as potential customers for their reclaimed urban wood products. Cabinet makers, furniture builders, wholesale lumber dealers, veneer manufacturers, and producers of molding and flooring will all be targeted as potential buyers for the high grade lumber processed by Last Chance Logs to Lumber. Lesser grade logs will be milled and marketed to the pallet, crate, landscape timber, and railroad tie industries. Additional potential products for the company include sawdust (which can be used as a sweeping compound, for animal bedding, and for gardening applications), fuel for the Genesee incinerator, firewood, and specialty items for craftspeople, turners, and artisans. In addition, the company intends to donate a portion of the lumber that they mill to local school districts for use in trade classes and vocational courses.

A project of the Southeast MI RC&D