General Info

Established in 1910, the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory, also known as FPL, is one of the leading wood research institutes. It has more than 250 scientists who conduct research on various aspects of wood use. Their research topics include pulp and paper products, housing and structural uses of wood, wood preservation, wood and fungi identification, and finishing and restoration of wood products. FPL operates various wood product research units, including the Center for Forest Mycology Research and the Center for Wood Anatomy Research. It also has a library that has a collection of articles and books on various forest and wood-related topics. The library also offers interlibrary loans. The USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory is located in Madison, Wis.