The University of Kentucky is home to over twelve thousand trees, representing a variety of the 120 tree species native to our state, such as walnuts, yellow-poplar, bur oaks, hickory, and ash trees. When a tree is removed from campus, if it isn’t diseased or structurally compromised, and if it is large enough that it can be processed for lumber, it is taken to Campus Woods.
Located at Vaughn Warehouse #5, Campus Woods is a program that provides students with access to this lumber to be used in the classroom. This program ensures trees felled at the University of Kentucky are utilized to the highest degree. Much of the material derived from felled trees on campus is high-value wood that students would otherwise not have the opportunity to work with. Because the lumber originates from UK’s diverse urban forest, students also gain access to unique wood that may be difficult to obtain commercially, such as spalted lumber.
Campus Woods has its roots in 2016 when a group of campus faculty and staff came together to find a more sustainable way to reuse campus trees. Prior to the formation of the Campus Woods program, the removal of trees from campus was costly and time-consuming, with most trees being turned into mulch. While this repurposed the material, it wasn’t the most impactful way to upcycle our campus wood.
In 2020, Campus Woods received funding from Coca Cola to purchase a Lucas Sawmill, and through funding awarded from the Sustainability Challenge Grant program, students from the Colleges of Design, Engineering, and Agriculture designed and built a structure to house and protect the new sawmill.
However, at this stage, a key challenge remained – the wood was still “green” (not yet dried out), which could cause issues such as warping in finished products. To be able to fully utilize the lumber for classroom projects, Campus Woods pursued and was awarded another Sustainability Challenge Grant in 2024 to purchase a kiln.
The program operates as a living lab, emphasizing live educational experiences in wood science. Students gain hands-on experience in lumber processing procedures such as kiln cycles, sawing, and drying wood. Through this, students develop an appreciation for the unique challenges of working with living materials – not just shaping the wood, but learning to work in harmony with its natural behavior.
Campus Woods acts as a resource for students across several colleges, including the College of Design, College of Engineering, and the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, and the College of Fine Arts. Currently, Campus Woods partners with specific classes looking for project materials, including Landscape Architecture, Urban and Community Forestry, and Product Design courses.
Over the years, Campus Woods has produced many unique pieces that act as functional art, including coffee tables in the Gatton Student Center, a conference table in the Office of Sustainability, and, most recently, a battery-charging station shelving unit for UK Grounds.
The program hopes to continue to expand their operation, involving more faculty members and broadening student access. In 2025, another Sustainability Challenge Grant was awarded to fund the construction of a road connecting the existing parking lot to the wood collection area, making the site more accessible. Additionally, Campus Woods will also serve as a new mentor in the 2025-2026 Sustainability Internship Program, supporting a student intern in developing new processes to enhance operations.
Through innovation, education, and sustainability, Campus Woods is transforming how the University of Kentucky values and utilizes its natural resources, one tree at a time.