Nonprofit Opens 'The Mill,' Pittsburgh’s First Responsible Wood Production Facility
Originally Published by: Woodworking Network — October 6, 2025
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Landforce, a nonprofit combining environmental stewardship with workforce development, opened "The Mill," a 10,000-square-foot facility that transforms Pittsburgh’s fallen and salvaged trees into high-quality lumber, pallet parts, tree stakes, and biochar.
The Mill will divert more than 1,000 logs (340 tons of material) annually from landfills, producing 100,000 board feet of lumber and 28 tons of biochar each year. The project creates jobs and career pathways for people who have faced systemic barriers to employment, including those impacted by the criminal legal system, poverty, and housing instability.
At its core, The Mill is also a classroom. Crew Members train in advanced manufacturing, arboriculture support, blueprint reading, and equipment operation, gaining industry-recognized certifications such as OSHA safety, chainsaw safety, and defensive driving. This training, paired with career coaching and wraparound support, opens pathways into stable, family-sustaining employment in manufacturing, landscaping, and green industries.
“The Mill is more than a sawmill — it is a symbol of what Pittsburgh can achieve when community, environment, and opportunity come together,” said Ilyssa Manspeizer, CEO of Landforce. “With the support of our funders, partners, and neighbors, we are proving that climate action and social equity can be built side by side.”
Congresswoman Summer L. Lee (PA-12) joined Landforce, Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, and community partners to cut the ribbon on Landforce’s new Responsible Wood Production Facility in Pittsburgh’s East End.
Participants at The Mill will receive hands-on training and certifications in arboriculture, equipment operation, and green infrastructure. They will also benefit from wraparound supports such as individualized career coaching, ensuring long-term success beyond the program.
“Today (Oct. 3), we celebrate a facility that represents a vision for Pittsburgh where climate justice and economic justice go hand in hand,” said Rep. Summer Lee (PA-12). “The Landforce Responsible Wood Production facility is proof that when we invest in our communities, we can create good-paying jobs and provide opportunities for people too often locked out of stable work, all while protecting our environment. I’m proud to stand with Landforce and all of the incredible partners who made this project possible. Together, we’re showing the country what it looks like to build a future that is sustainable, equitable, and rooted in community.”
The Mill has been made possible through the support of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Allegheny Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, and many other partners and funders.
Landforce projects that within the next few years The Mill will generate more than $500,000 annually in earned revenue, sustaining jobs and training while building a local circular economy.
The first reclaimed log, a pin oak salvaged from Melrose Cemetery in May 2025, produced 425 board feet of lumber — a tangible example of how waste can be turned into opportunity.