Reclaimed urban wood on the Baird Center’s collaborative stairs is promoting conservation and connection
Nearly 20 years ago, the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle that kills ash trees, was discovered in the United States. The insect, native to Asia, was devastating ash trees across the Midwest, especially in urban areas and along roadsides. Despite this being a horrible tragedy, it became a lesson in sustainability as new life was breathed into trees that would’ve otherwise been discarded.
“I’ve always imagined somebody raised their hand somewhere and said we should utilize all these trees rather than wasting them, and that statement really became the beginnings of an industry,” Wudeward Urban Forest Products President Dwayne Sperber said.
Dwayne Sperber was helping other organizations develop a response to the emerald ash borer when he decided to open Wudeward Urban Forest Products. His business produces and supplies urban wood products for various projects, like the Baird Center expansion.
Urban wood is the lumber produced from trees removed for reasons other than harvest. Trees coming to the end of their life or damaged trees that would’ve been converted into a waste stream are repurposed for things like interior furnishings and architectural woodwork. By repurposing urban wood, landfill waste is reduced and resources required in manufacturing new products are conserved. Repurposing wood from communities nearby also reduces material transportation costs. These combined actions reduce the carbon emissions that are contributing to global warming.
“Urban forests are essential to a community and when they must be removed, their benefits can extend into the built environment through the use of urban forest products. It’s a virtuous circle,” Sperber said.
Sperber supplies urban wood for one of the expansion’s most notable features: the collaborative stairs. All the wood installed on the collaborative stairs will be sourced from urban trees grown in Milwaukee and its neighboring communities.
“The collaborative stairs are functional, modern and constructed using trees that once stood tall right here in our community,” Wisconsin Center District President and CEO Marty Brooks said. “I hope future Baird Center guests use this staircase to connect not only with the people around them but with Milwaukee and the community itself.”
While Sperber says all wood is good because it is completely renewable, he hopes the building industry and the community understand the benefits of utilizing urban wood.
“Imagine if every community in the United States managed their trees with a higher use in mind when they came down. That would be a beautiful thing. It would help us environmentally, socially, economically,” Sperber said.
To learn more about Baird Center’s best-in-class sustainability initiatives, click here.
