Help Support FIC Operations, Research, Landowner Outreach, and Maple Syrup Advancement
Established 1986
The 1,745-acre MSU Forestry Innovation Center in Escanaba is undergoing a transformation. It is beginning the process of partnership building with members of the forest industry, USFS, MI DNR, and others to broaden the research focus of the station, offer more insight and assistance with non-timber forest products, and reengage the local community. It is working to develop stronger links to campus faculty and act as a conduit for Applied Forestry research and outreach between local partners and campus. The station has a rich history in forest research having lead a number of initiatives to increase the sustainable use of wood in Michigan’s bioeconomy. This work focused on increasing yields, decreasing costs, reducing greenhouse gas and energy losses, retaining rural jobs, and improving supply chain efficiencies. Past research at the center also focused on forest genetics, silviculture and forested wetland management.
In December 2020, the MSU Forest Biomass Innovation Center (FBIC) was renamed the MSU Forestry Innovation Center to emphasize the evolving focus of MSU AgBioResearch research activities.
Enviro-Weather Report Link
In mid November 2022 our wood chip boiler came online and is now heating the entire facility. The Portage and Main boiler worked well in 2022 and 2023. By 2024 it began to have bearing failures (N=4) on the chip feed side of the boiler. By the 2025-2026 heating season we swapped out the bearings to higher quality ones that could handle more back pressure. We still see she quality issues and dirty chips decrease the life of the bearings but that is partly what we examine with all the different chips we test.
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