Wood Floor Resource Group

Salvaged/Urban Forest

There are countless trees growing in America’s cities, towns, and suburbs. Large numbers are felled every day, either because they are diseased or damaged, or simply because they are in the way.  Most of the logs that come from these trees are chipped and composted, landfilled, or burned, but in some places, enterprising companies are salvaging the most desirable logs, milling them, and offering lumber and other products.

The following is from the website of such a company:

P.A.L. established its Tree Recycling Yard as a project dedicated to recycling fallen trees into their highest values. Because we believe trees are the "breath of life" and a source for strengthening our interconnectedness with nature, we developed a project that allows us to take care of trees that would otherwise be discarded and transform them into inspirational artwork and sophisticated wood products.

PAL’s specific goals are to:

  1. support the practice of resource conservation and sustainable forestry management by salvaging and reclaiming trees from urban areas and parks, thereby reducing the amount of timber extracted from forests for commercial consumption;
  2. support existing solid waste management programs by diverting wood materials such as construction lumber and trees from landfill;
  3. provide alternatives to wood consumption by educating the public about the availability of quality recycled products;
  4. raise environmental awareness in local, national, and international communities with our artwork and recycled wood products;
  5. reestablish our connection to the natural world with interactive, mobile, educational art pieces and workshops