Southeast Michigan Resource Conservation and Development Council

The Southeast Michigan Resource Conservation and Development Council is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that helps the people of Southeast Michigan care for, conserve, and protect their natural resources in a way that will improve the community’s economy, environment, and quality of life. The RC&D provides a framework for partnerships between local citizens, governments, and technical experts to solve resource concerns and to manage and utilize resources wisely.

The Council began work on its Ash Utilization Options Project in June 2004 in response to Michigan’s emerald ash borer outbreak. Through generous grant funding from the USDA Forest Service’s Wood Education and Resource Center and technical support from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Southeast Michigan RC&D has implemented a series of demonstration projects, research initiatives, training workshops, and outreach and networking strategies to build local momentum for the growth of industries based on recycling ash and other urban trees. Urbanwood.org is one component of this effort.