Skip to main contentSkip to footer content

ESF Researchers Receive $546,000 NYS Grant to Analyze Environmental Impact of Wood Products

Syracuse, N.Y. – July 02, 2024 – Researchers at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) were awarded $546,000 to develop a tool to enhance the environmental impact analysis of wood products harvested in New York state.

New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the funding June 27 as part of the Natural Carbon Solutions Innovation Challenge. The announcement supports New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent by 2050. 

"This funding from Governor Hochul enables our researchers to develop crucial tools that can significantly improve the analysis of the environmental impact of wood products," said ESF President Joanie Mahoney. "We are grateful for this support and proud to represent SUNY as a leading institution focused on creating innovative solutions for a sustainable future."

Tool for Assessing Carbon Storing Materials (TACSMA) is one of seven projects funded. The joint effort is led by ESF faculty and the Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials (CORRIM). The project focuses on "carbon-storing materials," which are mainly plant-based materials that capture and store carbon dioxide from the air for long periods.

“Our goal is to improve the way we measure the carbon impact of these materials by considering different times and locations more accurately,” said Dr. Obste Therasme, lead researcher and principal in ESF’s Climate & Applied Forest Research Institute (CAFRI). Co-PIs on the grant are Drs. Timothy Volk, Colin Beier, Tristan Brown, Paul Crovella, Deepak Kumar, and Robert Malmsheimer.

TACSMA will be useful for various stakeholders including experts who analyze the environmental impact of products, New York forest product companies that want to show their products' carbon footprint affordably, and state and local officials who are working towards New York's climate goals. TACSMA aims to provide valuable information that supports sustainability and helps guide decision-making.

“When faced with any challenge, New Yorkers roll up their sleeves and look for a path forward including finding new ways to beat the excessive heat that has become the norm in our climate crisis battle,” Governor Hochul said. “These investments are part of a larger commitment to ensuring resilient and healthier communities for those most vulnerable to rising temperatures while creating economic opportunities and establishing New York as an innovation hub for climate solutions.” 

About SUNY ESF

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. Members of the College community share a passion for protecting the health of the planet and a deep commitment to the rigorous application of science to improve the way humans interact with the world. The College offers academic programs ranging from the associate of applied science to the Doctor of Philosophy. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, N.Y., and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.

About CAFRI

The Climate & Applied Forest Research Institute (CAFRI) was founded by SUNY ESF and Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) in 2018 to provide policymakers and the public with knowledge and tools so they can make data-driven, practical, efficient, and sustainable decisions about climate solutions, through science-based stewardship of New York's natural and working forest lands.