SFSC
Building a Sustainable Forest Future
Connecting Research, Industry, and Communities for Resilient Supply Chains
The Sustainable Forest Supply Chain Collaborative at Virginia Tech brings people together to strengthen one of our most important natural resource systems.
We work with faculty, industry partners, landowners, and communities to connect research, teaching, and Extension in ways that create real impacts for people across the commonwealth and beyond.
Our goal is simple: support a forest supply chain that is sustainable, resilient, and able to meet the needs of future generations, from the health of working forests to the products people use every day.
What is the forest supply chain?
The forest supply chain includes the steps and interconnected businesses that turn trees into products that support everyday life. This system depends on:
Forest landowners and professionals who manage healthy, productive forests
Logging businesses that safely harvest and deliver wood
Mills and manufacturers that create and distribute forest products
Our efforts focus on all three pillars of sustainability which includes economic, social, and environmental sustainability. When each part of this chain is strong and sustainable, communities benefit through good jobs, healthy forests, renewable materials and energy, and long-term economic vitality. A sustainable forest supply chain ensures that forests are responsibly managed, forest businesses are viable, and forest products are available for future generations.
Developing Collaborative Solutions
Partners and Supporters
Our partners and supporters make this Collaborative possible. We work with:
- Forest landowners and professionals who manage healthy, productive forests
- Logging and trucking businesses
- Mills and manufacturers across the forest-products industry
- Other affiliated industries that provide products and services to businesses in the forest supply chain
How can you engage?
Faculty involved in our collaborative work broadly across the forest supply chain in teaching, research, and extension. As we develop our collaborative, we are interested in learning more about your needs and how we can develop partnerships that benefit all segments of the forest supply chain.
You can help by:
- Identifying critical needs that can be addressed by our faculty
- Collaborating on our research and extension activities across the supply chain
- Connecting with students for internships
- Supporting applied research projects that engage students and faculty to address real world challenges
- Helping identify workforce development needs and solutions
Interested in partnering or supporting our work?
Make an Impact
When you give to the Sustainable Forest Supply Chain Collaborative, you're making a direct impact on our students, faculty, and Extension programs across the Commonwealth and beyond. All gifts we receive help fund our undergraduate and graduate student activities, research projects, Extension programs and more:
- A $25 gift helps support student travel to conferences to learn more about professional opportunities and present research findings.
- A $100 gift helps to support applied student research projects focused on forest supply chain challenges.
- A $1000 gift helps to sponsor a forestry class field tour to expose students to opportunities in the forest supply chain.
Upcoming Events
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Redirect ItemVLA Annual Meeting , redirect
August 6-9 2026 | Williamsburg, VA
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Redirect ItemAmerican Loggers Council Annual Meeting , redirect
September 28 - October 1, 2026 | Williamsburg Lodge, Colonial Williamsburg, VA
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Redirect ItemVirginia Forestry Summit , redirect
May 5 - May 7, 2027 | Kalahari Resort, Spotsylvania, VA
Meet Our People
Community of Scholars
The Sustainable Forest Supply Chain Collaborative brings together a vibrant community of scholars dedicated to advancing sustainable forestry, supply chain innovation, and workforce development. Our community includes the faculty leaders who serve on the Advisory Committee, affiliated faculty from across disciplines, graduate students and undergraduate researchers conducting impactful research, Matthews State Forest interns gaining hands-on experience, and alumni applying their expertise in careers across academia, industry, and natural resource management. Together, they foster collaboration, discovery, and the next generation of sustainable forest supply chain leaders.
Research
Our applied research focuses on challenges that affect sustainability and resilience of the forest supply chain. Areas include:
- Sustainable forest management and utilization
- Workforce development and training
- Safe, efficient transportation and logistics
Teaching
Our teaching prepares the next generation of professionals to enter a career in the forest supply chain. Students gain experience through fieldwork, industry partnerships, and hands-on projects.
Extension
Our Extension and outreach programs connect research with the people who use it, supporting landowners, loggers, and mill professionals.