Woodland Park Zoo’s New Forest Trailhead Exhibit Highlights Mass Ply Oregon-made Mass Ply transports zoo visitors to the forest
SEATTLE, Wash., April 30, 2026 – On Friday, May 1, Woodland Park Zoo officially opens its new Forest Trailhead exhibit to the public, featuring Freres Engineered Wood’s Mass Ply products. Forest Trailhead will guide guests along an elevated treetop path and through a 12,000-square-foot mass-timber pavilion, blending sustainable architecture with natural habitats. LMN Architects used Mass Ply for many of the building’s structural and aesthetic elements, including beams, columns and most notably the pavilion’s eye-catching roof.
Construction of America’s Forest Service Museum is Complete Freres Engineered Wood and the National Museum of Forest Service History announce the completion of the National Conservation Legacy Center
MISSOULA, Mont., Apr. 14, 2026 – Freres Engineered Wood and the National Museum of Forest Service History today announced the completed construction of the new National Conservation Legacy Center in Missoula, Mont., a state-of-the-art museum built with innovative wood products. The mass timber marvel will serve as a learning center for educating the public on the significance of collaborative partnerships in America’s forest conservation and collective stewardship of our natural resources through forest management, wood innovation and more.
Freres Engineered Wood Celebrates Awards for Environmental Leadership Freres earns PBJ Corporate Impact Award; Residential project receives Green Good Design Award
LYONS, Ore., Mar. 16, 2026 – Freres Engineered Wood celebrates two awards honoring the company’s commitment to forest preservation and climate-conscious construction. The century-old wood products manufacturer won the Portland Business Journal’s 2026 Environmental Corporate Impact Award, recognizing its long-astanding support of the World Forestry Center (WFC). Additionally, a mass timber residence manufactured by Freres Wood and designed by Skylab Architecture has received a Green Good Design Award for its sustainable, fire-resilient design. Both awards underscore the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship and industry collaboration.
Freres Foundation Invests in Families with Grand Opening of Doris’s Place Family Building Blocks celebrates new facility serving children and families in the Santiam Canyon
STAYTON, Ore., Jan. 15, 2026 – Freres Engineered Wood celebrated the grand opening of Doris’s Place on Thursday, Jan. 15, marking a major milestone for children and families in the Santiam Canyon. The new Family Building Blocks facility will provide a permanent, long-awaited home for Doris’s Place, expanding access to free, strengths-based and trauma-informed services designed to keep children safe and families together. The project was made possible through broad community support, including a $20,000 donation from the Freres Foundation and the use of Freres plywood and Mass Ply Lams in the building’s construction.
Freres Donates $3 Million to World Forestry Center The Freres Foundation pledges the largest donation in WFC history
LYONS, Ore., Dec. 16, 2025 – As 2025 comes to a close, Freres Engineered Wood is celebrating the completion of a three-year, $3 million pledge to the World Forestry Center — the largest donation in the organization’s history. The gift reflects a decades-long partnership, focused on advancing forest education, stewardship and long-term wildfire resilience.
New OSU Coastal Housing Puts Safety First With Mass Ply Construction
LYONS, Ore., Nov. 14, 2025 – Oregon State University’s (OSU) rapidly expanding Hatfield Marine Science Center has experienced a critical need for workforce housing, as enrollment surged from 100 to 500 in just three years. To support the influx of students, faculty, and visiting professionals, OSU opened the Harborton Street Housing complex this fall 2025. The new facility features sustainable Mass Ply Panels (MPP) from Freres Engineered Wood, offering a safe and resilient alternative to the school’s existing bunkhouses within the tsunami zone.
Freres Wood Wins Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Award
LYONS, Ore., Sept. 15, 2025 – Today, Fast Company officially announced the winners of their 2025 Innovation by Design Award, including Freres Engineered Wood’s revolutionary Mass Plywood Warehouse. The prestigious global design competition named Freres Wood the winner of the Design/Make category as well as a finalist in the Experimental and Conceptual Design category. These renowned awards recognize the world’s most innovative businesses, highlighting impactful design solutions that address crucial issues like climate change.
Freres Awarded USDA Wood Innovation Grant to Expand Biochar Market
LYONS, Ore., July 22, 2025 – Freres Engineered Wood, a leading Oregon manufacturer of sustainable and innovative engineered wood products, has been awarded a $229,199 Wood Innovation Grant from the U.S. Forest Service. The funding will support the expansion of Freres’ biochar production, a carbon-rich byproduct of wood waste, and help grow emerging markets for carbon-sequestering materials.
Freres Wood Responds to National Push to Increase Timber Production
LYONS, Ore., July 15, 2025 – Freres Engineered Wood, one of the country’s leading voices on sustainable wood products and responsible forest management, supports President Trump’s executive order to expand U.S. timber production. The company maintains that increased timber harvesting is critical to restoring forest health and rural economies. Following the order, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a $200 million investment and a directive for the U.S. Forest Service to boost harvesting on national forests by 25 percent.