Mountain Top Wood Products currently operates an existing log processing yardwhere they receive, debark, peel, cut and shape small diameter timber. Thisproject will allow Mountain Top to set a more efficient log sort yard as well aspurchase a log merchandiser saw and loaders to service the merchandiser. The sawwill cut small diameter logs into predetermined, uniform lengths. This allowsfor a faster, more efficient operation with less waste, and can produce a widerrange of value added products.

The purpose of this project is to establish and operate a self-sufficient,sustainable, regional, non-profit organization dedicated to supporting andpromoting value-added utilization of local small diameter wood. Partners of thisproject are Small Business Development Center of Northland Pioneer College, TheArizona Sustainable Forest Partnership and The Greater Flagstaff ForestPartnership.

Indigenous Community Enterprise (ICE) has been funded by Four Cornerspreviously to assist in the establishment of a community based housing productbusiness using small diameter ponderosa pine to create affordable, culturallycompatible housing. Funding ICE for this year will help add a laser guidedautomated sorting deck that will enable the operation to both dramaticallyincrease sorting speed and efficiency.

The Town of Eagar received funding previously from Four Corners to helppurchase a chain flail chipper. The chipper has been used to chip over 44,889tons of small diameter trees thinned from urban interface projects. This onetime funding will assist the community in rebuilding and upgrading the hydraulicsystem.

This project will assist Robinson Sawmill in upgrading an idle scragg mill tohandle the small diameter timber. This new set-up will take only 7 cuts toproduce the same amount of lumber that previously took 11 cuts to make. The millhopes to be able to produce surfaced Tongue and Groove all dimensions, paneling,and 6x6 home and shed kits.

This project is the second phase in the development of an edge glue operationin Delta, Colorado. Previous Four Corners funding helped develop prototypepanels and researched the economic feasibility of edge gluing lumber from smalldiameter trees. This phase will involve the actual production of edge gluepanels by purchasing the needed equipment.

Colorado Timber Industry Association will build on its successful approach ineducating public policy decision makers and the broader public about Coloradosforest condition by conducting "timber tours". The tour willillustrate forest restoration projects and show forested areas at risk ofcatastrophic fire events.

This project will assist Richard Doyon Logging (RDL) and EntermountainEnterprises Inc. in establishing a small mill in Rio Grande County, Colorado. Byassisting RDL, the San Luis Valley area will have a mill to take theirrestoration timber to and in return, that will help with the cost of restorationprojects. RDL and Entermountain have obtained other funding to complete thisproject.

Stonertop Inc. has received funding previously from Four Corners to increaselocal business capacity in dealing with small diameter wood and the number ofvalue-added products derived from restoration work in Southwestern Colorado.This project will enable Stonertop to purchase a bagger to bag several differentproducts including mulch, bark, peeler shavings and compost.

Catron County Citizens Group is in the later stage of developing a cluster offor-profit, small-scale enterprises working in association with a non-profitenterprise to achieve full utilization of small diameter material and developvalue-added product manufacturing capacity. Funding for this project will beused to insure completion of the dimensional milling infrastructure.

Sierra Contracting (SCI), a compos/mulch company, is the diversion point formost of the slash and small diameter trees unsuitable for utilization generatedby wildfire mitigation efforts in the Lincoln County area. The objective of thisproject is to acquire equipment necessary to properly size compost/mulch forspecific projects. SCI and the NM Transportation and Highway Department arecurrently demonstrating this high quality compost/mulch for re-vegetation anderosion control along New Mexicos highways. Also SCI is using this productfor fire rehabilitation work.

Rio Costilla Cooperative Livestock Association (RCCLA) is an 80,000-acre LandGrant in northern NM. RCCLA is developing a small diameter timber processing andproduction infrastructure that will assist them and the surrounding area toprocess restoration and fire mitigation trees. Funding for this project willassist RCCLA with equipment purchases.

P&M Plastics has developed a patented blend of woody shrubs, forestthinnings, and recycled plastic that is ideal for sign blanks and othervalue-added products requiring superior exterior performance characteristics.The objective of this project is to help P&M Plastics to improve themarketing and sales of the Altree products.

Southern Utah Forest Products Association (SUFPA) is a previous recipient ofFour Corners funding and this project will allow SUFPA to continue its workpromoting ecologically sound forest policies that support communities byassisting in the 2003 annual workshop for the Four Corners Partnership.

Thousand Lake Log Homes Company manufactures log home kits using smalldiameter materials. This project will assist them by increasing the capacity oftheir facility and improving production of decorative railings, banisters andother trim work that can add more value to their current kit package.

The objective of this project is to develop a demonstration on biomassreduction to ethanol production. Utah is trying to find a product that willutilize unwanted biomass (pion, juniper, sub-alpine fir and quaking aspen) fromprivate and public lands. The funding from Four Corners will assist Utah RuralDevelopment Council with a business plan and an engineering design plan.