Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, officially launching the International Year of the Forests on March 30, announced the USDA's strategy to promote the use of wood as a green building material.

"Wood has a vital role to play in meeting the growing demand for green building materials. Forest Service studies show that wood compares favorably with competing materials," said Vilsack, who laid out a three-part plan to address current green building practices. These strategies will include: