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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Plum Creek, one of the largest private land and timber owners in the United States, has committed $1 million to Oregon State University's College of Forestry to support construction of the school's new Oregon Forest Science Complex.

In addition to serving as the college's home, the 85,000-square-foot complex will include a state-of-the-art advanced wood products laboratory. The research facility will be built from and dedicated to developing sustainable new building products that could be manufactured in the Pacific Northwest, including cross-laminated timber.

"OSU's College of Forestry is one of the premier forestry programs in the country, and the Oregon Forest Science Complex is proof of their commitment to sustainable forestry research," said Rick Holley, Plum Creek, chief executive officer. "We see the OSU complex as a unique place that will effectively showcase the innovation and sustainability of wood products."

"As architects and engineers around the world begin to increasingly appreciate the multiple benefits of wood construction, OSU is positioned to be a global industry leader in the field," said Thomas Maness, the Cheryl Ramberg Ford and Allyn C. Ford Dean of the College of Forestry.

"We are excited about leading a new national effort to advance the science and technology needed to use wood as a safe and renewable building material in the construction of tall wood buildings," Maness said. "We are deeply grateful for Plum Creek's partnership. The company's gift will help us expand our program while attracting visionary faculty and the talented students who will become the next generation of forest industry leaders."

Headquartered in Seattle, Plum Creek previously gave $500,000 to create an endowment supporting an OSU postdoctoral fellow who studies the impacts of active forest management on water quality and aquatic systems. The first fellow, Matt Sloat, focused his research on how contemporary forest harvest practices affect fish.

The $60 million Oregon Forest Science Complex will be funded by private gifts and $29.7 million in approved state bonds. The project is one of several fundraising initiatives being led by the Oregon State University Foundation to advance the university's strategic plan - creating transformative student learning experiences and building on the institution's areas of greatest strength and potential impact.