Join the Campus!
The Forest Biomass Business Center is inviting wood and biomass-based businesses to locate on our campus and become part of a growing restoration economy in the Yuba Watershed.
FBBC is being developed as a place where complementary businesses can work together to turn forest restoration materials into useful products, local jobs, and new economic opportunities.
Why Locate at FBBC
FBBC occupies a 100-acre parcel nestled between the Tahoe National Forest and Plumas National Forest, in a region where substantial forest restoration work is already underway.
A regional biomass supply assessment found that the six counties surrounding Camptonville generate approximately 2.5 million bone-dry tons of woody biomass annually, with an estimated surplus of more than 1.1 million bone-dry tons per year after accounting for existing demand. The study indicates that regional raw material supply should not be a limiting factor for businesses locating at the campus.
Much of this material is being generated through major forest restoration efforts led by the North Yuba Forest Partnership and other regional partners. The North Yuba Forest Partnership is working across 275,000 acres of the watershed to improve forest health and wildfire resilience.
FBBC is designed to provide businesses with an opportunity to put this material to productive use while contributing to the health of the forest, the watershed, and the local economy.
Businesses at the campus will also have the potential to benefit from shared infrastructure and proximity to complementary enterprises. By working together, businesses can share costs, make better use of available fiber, and create efficiencies that may not be possible for individual operations on their own.
A Campus Built on Careful Analysis
FBBC has taken a careful, research-based approach to determining which businesses could be a good fit for the campus.
Our technology screening process began with 60 potential wood fiber utilization pathways. Through a two-stage evaluation, the field was narrowed to 29 technologies judged to be compatible with the region's fiber resources, markets, rural setting, and restoration goals.
The analysis considered market strength, feedstock compatibility, economic competitiveness, implementation practicality, potential integration with other campus businesses, and alignment with community economic development goals.
Three business concepts have subsequently been selected for more detailed feasibility analysis: a smaller-scale sawmill, post & pole, and commercial bundled firewood.
This work provides a strong foundation for identifying businesses with the greatest potential to succeed at FBBC.
Who We're Looking For
We are interested in hearing from businesses and entrepreneurs working in areas such as:
Wood and biomass-based manufacturing
Forest product processing and value-added wood products
Bioenergy and biomass fuel production
Emerging bio-based materials and technologies
Businesses capable of utilizing mixed-species, restoration-oriented, or lower-quality fiber streams
This list is not exhaustive. If your business has a use for regional forest fiber and could benefit from locating alongside complementary enterprises, we want to hear from you.
Get Involved
Whether you are considering locating your business at FBBC, interested in partnering with the campus, or looking for ways to support the project, we would like to hear from you.
Prospective businesses and partners
Contact us to learn more about the campus, available opportunities, regional feedstock, and how your business might fit into the developing campus.
Funders and policymakers
Explore the research behind the project, including our biomass supply assessment and technology screening study, in the Reports Library.
Community members
Follow our Project Updates and News for the latest information, or contact us with questions and ideas.