ForestSpeCs findings on byproducts of forest industry: could bark be more valuable than timber?

The EU-project FORESTSPECS provides research based biological and technical understanding and solutions needed for upgrading wood related residues and humic substances to value-added chemicals and materials. Only through such knowledge-based approach it is possible to develop innovative applications to the potentially huge variety of bioactive substances available in these by-products, currently considered as waste. These substances represent a rich source of aromatic and other complex structures, whose upgrading to value-added speciality chemicals and materials pro-vides an opportunity to the forest sector to create new types of value chains. Application opportuni-ties include medical, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and environmental remediation uses. We focus our study on wood residues, such as the bark of Betula, Pinus, Picea, Larix, Abies and Populus, as well as on peat, as raw material. The work consists of innovative natural products chemistry, extraction and process technology; as well as basic research on the mode of action and the structure-function relationships in order to increase the knowledge-base, essential for the emerging bio-economy. Products arising from the use of these rapidly renewable natural raw mate-rials could replace petrochemical-based products not only in high value-added segments (e.g. med-icine, cosmetics, plant protection), but also in technical products such as adhesives, coatings, sur-factants and chelating agents. Furthermore, this project creates options for adding value to the total resource of processed wood and peat residues, e.g. in remediation and soil conditioning, so that no wastes remain, and the overall operations are environmentally sustainable and economically attractive. The outcomes of this project are expected to be of significant importance to the forest, farming, medical and pharmaceutical sectors, with major positive spin-off impacts to human health and the environment.