Brookside Lumber in Cayuga County will receive $1.54 million to expand production and make greater use of lower-value lumber, the state Department of Environmental Conservation announced Oct. 29.
The grant will help remove production bottlenecks and increase the company’s capacity to make crane mats. It is part of $45 million awarded to 44 projects through DEC’s Advancing Forest Markets initiative.
Brookside describes itself as a family-owned sawmill serving the greater Finger Lakes area from Moravia. Its services include timber procurement, log purchasing and production of green timber products, sawdust, chips and mulch.
Other regional awards include $509,860 for Hickory Hill Farms in Ontario County to increase hardwood seedling production, and $847,724 for Woodwise Forestry in Monroe County to expand staffing and forest market capacity.
Matthew Weir in Livingston County will receive $1.85 million to expand markets for low-grade and underused wood in the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier.
DEC said the statewide investments will strengthen forest businesses and the tree seedling supply chain while supporting sustainable forest management and New York’s goal of planting 25 million trees.
Commissioner Amanda Lefton said stronger markets for locally sourced wood help keep working forests economically viable.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.
