The City of Plymouth recently received a City of Excellence Award from the League of Minnesota Cities in the Creative Use of Limited Resources category for the city’s Urban Wood Utilization Program. 

The League of Minnesota Cities produced a video highlighting the program, which can be viewed on YouTube.

The program involves turning dead and declining trees that were removed largely due to Emerald Ash Borer into a valuable resource – lumber. The lumber is produced utilizing a shared saw owned by a neighboring city and with a wood-drying kiln that was purchased with the help of a grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. 

The finished product is used to build furniture for city facilities and to improve city amenities, such as the construction of new boardwalks in city parks. Utilization of in-house produced lumber saves the city an estimated $15,000 annually.

“Emerald Ash Borer has, unfortunately, destroyed thousands of trees throughout Plymouth,” City Manager Dave Callister said. “In the past, the dead wood from these trees was chipped or disposed of. However, city staff saw an opportunity in the face of a problem. Now, we are able to divert what was once considered waste into a valuable resource.”

Excess lumber produced by the city is also shared with local school districts for use in woodworking classes. In fact, Plymouth shared 6,840 board feet of lumber during the past school year for students to utilize as they learn new skills in the classroom. 

According to the League of Minnesota Cities, City of Excellence Awards are given to cities for outstanding programs or projects. Each winning city receives a plaque, a check for $1,000, and recognition in publications and promotional activities throughout the year.