Forest Landowners Foundation Awarded Nearly $300,000 to Expand Woodchip Export Opportunities and Strengthen Forest Markets
Atlanta, GA — The Forest Landowners Foundation (FLF) has been awarded nearly $300,000 through the U.S. Forest Service’s 2025 Wood Innovations Grant Program to help open new export markets for southern yellow pine (SYP) woodchips using an innovative heat treatment process.
The project, led by Peeples Industries with support from FLF, will develop a commercial-scale dielectric heating (DH) treatment unit using radio frequency (RF) technology. This new system is designed to meet international export standards (ISPM 15) by safely treating debarked pine woodchips for pests—without relying on chemical fumigants like sulfuryl fluoride or methyl bromide.
Once validated by USDA-APHIS, the treatment unit will be installed at East Coast Terminal Co. of Savannah, GA, a long-standing export facility, allowing immediate commercial use in European markets.
Supporting Forests Through Market Innovation
Forests in the U.S. South are increasingly at risk due to land loss, development, mill closures, and declining demand for wood products. Strong markets for forest products have historically encouraged tree planting, supported wildlife habitat, and fueled rural economies. But as markets shrink, so do the incentives to keep forests as forests.
Meanwhile, European wood manufacturers are facing severe fiber shortages due to natural disasters, pests, and restrictions on logging. With Russian softwoods no longer widely available, the U.S. South is well-positioned to meet international demand—if we can overcome export barriers like phytosanitary regulations.
To ship pine woodchips to Europe, exporters must meet strict international standards. Currently, only sulfuryl fluoride fumigation and dielectric heating are approved treatments. This project aims to prove that commercial-scale, in-line RF technology for dielectric heating of wood chips is a safe, effective, and scalable solution—and a better long-term option for landowners and the environment.
A Win for Landowners, Forests, and Rural Economies
“This project directly addresses two major barriers for private forest landowners: shrinking forest product markets and phytosanitary treatment regulations,” said Scott Jones, CEO of Forest Landowners. “By supporting innovation in woodchip exports, we’re not just helping landowners—we’re helping sustain working forests and the environmental and economic benefits they provide.”
FLF believes this project can serve as a national model for wood treatment and export infrastructure. It represents a strategic investment that benefits forest landowners, manufacturers, exporters, and rural communities across the Southeast.
About the Forest Landowners Foundation
The Forest Landowners Foundation is the only national foundation dedicated to supporting private forest landowners. Representing individuals and families who manage over half of the nation’s forests, FLF invests in the tools, markets, and knowledge needed to keep forests productive and resilient for generations to come.
Learn more at www.forestlandowners.com
Media Contact:
Michelle Cain, Director of Communications
Forest Landowners Foundation
mcain@forestlandowners.com