III. Field Guide to the Forest Service

Working Together for Economic Vitality in Rural, Forest-based Communities – SBS Wood Shavings

Wildland fire and arid conditions are facts of life in the Smokey Bear and Sacramento Ranger Districts on the Lincoln National Forest near Ruidoso, New Mexico. Thinning is necessary to restore forest and watershed health. A top priority for the Forest is to develop a commercial use for the trees removed during thinning operations.

Glen and Sherry Barrow wanted to do their part in the restoration of forest health. As members of the Ruidoso Wildland Urban Interface Group, they recognized the need to establish a successful wood waste utilization operation.

With grants from the Forest Service's State and Private Forestry-Economic Action Programs through the Four Corner's Sustainable Forest Partnership and through the Collaborative Forest Restoration Program, Sherry and Glen forged ahead. In December, 2001, they began construction on a facility to produce wood shavings for animal bedding, a product in demand locally. In less than a year SBS Wood Shavings turned out the first bags of their product. They currently have four employees but expect to expand as they develop regular customers and clients.

SBS Wood Shavings is a good example of how an integrated approach among the three branches of the Forest Service helps foster economic vitality in rural, forest-based communities while restoring degraded forest ecosystems.