Maine forest products are ready for their closeup in video premiere at SXSW festival
Courtesy / University of Maine
Seen here is a variety of construction materials made with environmentally friendly cellulose nanofibrils, seen in the plastic dish, developed by the University of Maine as part of its collaboration with FOR/Maine.
The University of Maine, Maine’s forest products industry and the country of Finland will be the stars of a video debuting at this year's South By Southwest Conference, the international gathering of musicians and artists, inventors and innovators held annually in Austin, Tex.
The 2-minute video will highlight the innovative wood technologies UMaine is developing, and the partnership among the university, the state’s forest products industry and Finland, according to a news release.
The university is a partner with Forest Opportunity Roadmap/Maine, a cross-sector collaboration of industry, communities, government, education and nonprofits that seeks to innovate and grow Maine’s forest economy.
“South By Southwest is one of this country’s premier and most recognized festivals,” Steve Schley, chair of the FOR/Maine steering committee, said in the release. “Some people know it for music and for film, but it is also incredibly well respected and renowned for highlighting innovation. For example, Twitter wasn’t a big deal until it was presented at South By Southwest. It’s an exciting honor to be included in this year’s festival to highlight our industry’s work with Finland.”
In October 2019, Gov. Janet Mills and Finland Prime Minister Antti Rinne signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance collaboration toward advancing the forest bioeconomy.
“Our future, like our past, is inextricably linked to our forests,” Mills said in the video being presented at SXSW. “Partnerships like the one I am developing with Finland will drive innovation at the Forest Bioproducts Research Institute at the University of Maine.”
The Finland Pavilion Showcase on March 18 will present “Innovative Wood: Wood Replacing Fossil-Based Materials from Medicine to Fashion.” In addition to the video highlighting Maine’s partnership, the presentation will feature information on various innovative uses for wood products including in the fashion industry, medicine and biofuels.
The 2021 South By Southwest Conference will be virtual due to the pandemic. But the festival, from March 16-20, will feature its usual blend of music, film, speakers, networking opportunities and a new “creative industries exhibition” featuring businesses, startups, and industry from around the world.
For more information, click here.
FOR/Maine will hold its own half-day virtual summit on the future of Maine’s forest bioeconomy on April 9, featuring topics such as workforce development, woodland owner outreach and engagement, strategic investment attraction, and communications around the opportunity in Maine’s forests.
For more information, click here.
Last month, FOR/Maine issued results of a public survey that showed Mainers are generally bullish about the future of the state’s forest products industry, but have little awareness of how it’s changing.
Last year, Schley called UMaine’s ongoing research and technology development “critically important” to the forest sector in Maine.
FOR/Maine released an action plan in September 2018 with a goal of creating actionable steps to grow Maine’s forest-based economy. The plan included a combination of transportation, community outreach, workforce development, and attracting strategic investment.
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