A UMaine-led coalition has been chosen as a finalist for up to $100 million in funds in the federal government's Build Back Better Regional Challenge.
UMaine teamed up with Forest Opportunity Roadmap/Maine, or FOR/Maine, to present its vision of how Maine's valuable forest resources can bring new revenues and jobs to the state.
"We know what our material supplies are, we know what manufacturing and markets are," says Jake Ward, vice president of innovation and economic development at UMaine. "We also know our communities that had mill closures are challenged, but they are resilient and interested in exploring these opportunities."
Coalition Chair Steve Schley says its strategic plan is to diversify the state's wood products businesses and attract new investment.
"On a sustainable forestry basis, just using the current volumes that are not being used, we could add $4 billion to the Maine economy," he says.
The FOR/Maine proposal was chosen from 529 applicants to advance to the next phase of the Build Back Better Challenge. FOR/Maine has been working on forest products technologies and markets for four years.
