Weyerhaeuser’s $500 million investment in Drew County shows promise of creating an economic boost, supporting forest health
"This investment strengthens the synergy between healthy forests and vibrant communities." — Matthew Pelkki
By Traci Rushing
U of A System Division of Agriculture – UAM College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural
Resources
Dec. 9, 2024
Fast Facts:
- Weyerhaeuser’s business expansion has the potential to positively impact the health of our forest.
- Estimated $25 million annually added to the region’s payroll according to the Arkansas Center for Forest Business
- and benefits wildlife" — Michael Blazier
(409 words)
(With art)
MONTICELLO, Ark. — Weyerhaeuser’s announcement of a $500 million investment in Drew County marks a substantial moment for Southeast Arkansas, bringing economic growth and advancing sustainable forestry practices. According to the Arkansas Center for Forest Business at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, the new facility is poised to deliver significant benefits for the region’s communities, forest and environment.
The state-of-the-art TimberstrandÒ facility will produce laminated strand lumber, or LSL. This high-tech engineered wood product is known for its strength, stability and versatility. Laminated strand lumber is formed by shredding trees and binding the strands together with resin.
“The process creates a dimensional lumber that will not warp and has engineering qualities that typically exceed the highest quality sawn lumber,” said Matthew Pelkki, director of the Arkansas Center for Forest Business and professor of forest economics for the University of Arkansas at Monticello and University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
The raw material for this mill will be relatively small-diameter pines. Commonly known as pulpwood, these smaller pines have dropped in value and accumulated in greater amounts in the southern region of Arkansas since the closure of the Crossett paper mill five years ago.
“There are several benefits to a facility that fosters partial harvesting, or thinning,
of forests of our region” said Michael Blazier, dean of the College of Forestry, Agriculture
and Natural Resources and director of the Arkansas Forest Resources Center of the
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
“Thinning promotes health of the remaining trees as they benefit from the greater
availability of light, water, and nutrients, which in turn reduces fire, insect and
disease susceptibility," Blazier said. "Wildlife benefits from the greater vegetation
that grows under the trees after thinning, and forest landowners gain from the revenue
generated by these harvests. So this new facility will be a powerful driver of the
economic and ecological health of our region.”
“A healthy forest economy goes hand in hand with healthy communities and healthy forests,” said Pelkki. “This facility exemplifies that synergy, offering a sustainable solution that strengthens our forests and supports economic vitality.”
Weyerhaeuser has highlighted the creation of nearly 200 high-quality jobs as a key benefit of this new facility.
“The addition of approximately 200 jobs in our region holds significant potential for boosting the local economy,” said Pelkki. “Related industries and community jobs will add another 300 employed people in the region. These high-wage jobs should add about $25 million annually to the region's payroll.”
Mention of product names does not imply endorsement by the University of Arkansas-Monticello.
About the Arkansas Center for Forest Business
Established in 2021, the Arkansas Center for Forest Business is part of the University of Arkansas, College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources. The Center provides technical assistance for market-based solutions to forest resource challenges, programs for degree and post-baccalaureate education, and information on timber supply, forest products markets and operational efficiency. The Center for Forest Business will provide market-based economic solutions to forest resource issues, improving business practices for forest enterprises, and enhancing economic competitiveness.
About the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Arkansas
Forest Resources Center
The College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center, a University of Arkansas System Center of Excellence, brings together interdisciplinary expertise through a partnership between the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The College and Center are headquartered at the University of Arkansas at Monticello campus, but their programs range statewide with the mission of developing and delivering teaching, research, and extension programs that enhance and ensure the sustainability and productivity of forest-based natural resources and agricultural systems. Academic programs are delivered by the College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources through the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Through the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, research is administered by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, and extension and outreach activities are coordinated by the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
The University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offer all of their programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and are Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employers.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation's historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of twenty entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all seventy-five counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension
and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity,
sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran
status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative
Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media contact: Traci Rushing
trushing@uada.edu
870-460-1852