Where Materials Become Opportunity

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With over three decades in sustainable materials and regenerative design, more than 25 years of leadership across all sectors of high-level urban wood utilization, and four decades in design and manufacturing, Urban Ashes brings deep, cross-sector expertise to advance circular economies, environmental justice, and climate resilience across the United States.

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Urban Ashes develops and implements practical, place-based strategies to recover wood from fallen or removed trees and repurpose it into long-term environmental, economic, and educational assets. Through its Circular UrbanWood Triconomy, or CUT Model™, Urban Ashes supports municipalities, school districts, nonprofits, and private-sector partners in creating closed-loop systems that retain both value and accountability within their communities.

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This work is grounded in the principles of full-circle urban forestry, a comprehensive approach that considers the entire lifecycle of a tree. It includes planting and stewardship, responsible removals, recovery and reuse of materials, and reinvestment into local economies and ecosystems. This model reduces waste, avoids emissions, creates jobs, and turns removed trees into long-term community assets. It supports climate goals while building local capacity, transparency, and economic inclusion.

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Urban Ashes is also positioned to support the development and implementation of phytoremediation and biochar strategies through its national network of expert partners and collaborators. These efforts are a natural extension of its regenerative work focused on water quality, soil restoration, carbon retention, and equitable economic development.

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Comprehensive Program Architecture
Urban Ashes works with communities at various stages of its CUT Model, assessment, design, and implementation, to reduce disposal costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and generate measurable community benefits. The process includes mapping regional value chains, conducting lifecycle assessments, shaping policy, creating workforce development plans, and integrating data systems to track material flows and environmental impact.

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Proprietary Data and Impact Tracking Systems
Urban Ashes utilizes an in-house data platform to allow partners to track carbon sequestration, avoided emissions, and the full chain of custody from tree removal to final use. The system aligns with federal and state reporting requirements and supports grant compliance, public transparency, and local climate inventories.

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Phytoremediation and Biochar Integration
Urban Ashes supports the planning and coordination of phytoremediation using fast-growing, regionally adapted hybrid poplars to reduce nutrient runoff, stabilize ecosystems, and restore ecological functions. In collaboration with expert partners, Urban Ashes also promotes the use of biochar produced from non-salvageable urban wood to improve soil health, lock in carbon, and support regenerative land management.

 

Justice-Forward Workforce Development
Urban Ashes designs programs that prioritize workforce development and community reinvestment. Initiatives engage returning citizens, justice-impacted youth, and underrepresented populations through hands-on training, employment, and skills development directly connected to climate resilience and material reuse.

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Partnerships with Public and Private Institutions
Urban Ashes collaborates with public schools, city agencies, universities, and developers to recover trees from construction and infrastructure projects, reinvesting the material into educational environments, architectural elements, and sustainable landscapes. These projects support biophilic design, carbon-smart construction, and environmental literacy.

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Scalable and Transparent Systems
Urban Ashes builds systems that are locally managed and community-owned. Its model provides tools, training, and operational support for municipalities, agencies, and coalitions to run their own programs with full control over environmental and economic outcomes. With over 35 years of experience navigating policy and regulatory environments, Urban Ashes supports cross-sector coordination and long-term program integration.

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Urban Ashes is ready to assist partners nationwide in designing and implementing nature-based strategies that meet both environmental and equity goals. Its commitment to full-circle urban forestry offers a proven, scalable framework for climate innovation, inclusive workforce development, and regenerative community transformation.