Innovation

Maine’s forests are full of opportunity
With abundant forest resources and UMaine’s research expertise, Maine is making significant contributions to the global bioeconomy.
In fact, Maine is starting to be referred to as Nanocellulose Valley.
Using a sustainable, renewable wood fiber advancement called nanocellulose, Maine companies and researchers are developing some amazing things.
Things like human bone replacements, green building materials, advanced renewable packaging, and much more.
For 200 years, our state’s economy has been deeply rooted in the forest products industry.
Now, we are growing more than trees. We are growing Maine’s future.
Why I think the Paper Industry is Sex
TEDTalk – Presented at TEDxDirigo.
The future is wood. With passion and precision Donna Cassese elevates Maine’s paper industry as the future of innovative and inventive design, with possibilities ranging from the capacity of wood pulp to drastically reduce dependence on petroleum to paper’s potential to create intuitive 3D molds that resist bacteria, for use in hospitals.

Forest Bioproducts Research Institute
A mission to advance understanding of the scientific underpinnings, system behavior & policy implications for the production of forest-based bioproducts…learn more

Bio-Based Maine
A mission-driven trade association
promoting the sustainable use of renewable biomass
from forests, farm, and sea…learn more
- As Maine forest products initiative advances, workforce shortage remains an issue
- Mainers have little awareness about full range of forest products industry, survey shows
- Biocarbon processing plant plans to locate at East Millinocket mill site
- New UMaine equipment will turn twigs and tree bark into jet fuel and heating oil
- $4.8M will upgrade Forest Bioproducts Research Institute facilities, bolster bioproduct research
- The University of Maine continues renewable fuel research