BEMIDJI, Minn. — Gordon Fothergill will explain a unique use of an underutilized natural resource when he presents “Harvesting Tamarack for Bioactive Compounds” at 3 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, at the Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation.

Part of the Bemidji Area Natural Resources Continuing Education Consortium series, the 90-minute presentation is open to the public at no charge and will be held in the CRI, located at 3801 Bemidji Avenue North.

Fothergill is the procurement specialist for the Lonza, Inc., facility in Cohasset, Minn., where tamarack are processed to extract Larch Arabinogalactan (LAG), a natural compound for use in human and animal nutrition, personal care and industrial applications.

“LAG is an additive that enhances existing properties of materials,” Fothergill said. “It is also a water soluble fiber so it can be added to a product that wouldn’t normally have fiber, like an energy drink.”

During the program, Fothergill will provide background on Lonza, the exclusive manufacturer of LAG, and describe the Cohasset plant, outline uses for LAG and discuss product applications in a variety of areas. The Cohasset plant currently consumes 9,000 cords of tamarack per year to extract and purify LAG through a patented, proprietary process.

Fothergill is a 1994 graduate of Bemidji State University with a degree in aquatic biology. Prior to joining Lonza in 1997, he worked at Voyageurs National Park and the Blandin Paper Company.

The presentation is part of an on-going series of Bemidji Area Natural Resources Continuing Education Consortium programs usually offered on the third Monday of each month. While covering topics of general interest, the sessions are designed for professionals working in the natural resource area and may be technical in nature. Groups participating in organizing the consortium include the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Chippewa National Forest, Leech Lake Division of Resource Management, Ainsworth and the Red Lake Reservation.

Individuals who wish to be added to the Bemidji Area Natural Resources Continuing Education Consortium mailing list or have questions about this program should contact the Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation at (218) 755-4900; toll free, (888) 738-3224; e-mail, cri@bemidjistate.edu; or at http://www.cri-bsu.org.

FOR YOUR CALENDAR
Sept. 15 – 3 p.m. – Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation hosts Bemidji Area Natural Resources Continuing Education Consortium presentantion, “Harvesting Tamarack for Bioactive Compounds.” Presenter: Gordon Fothergill, procurement specialist; Lonza, Inc. Location: CRI; 3801 Bemidji Ave. N.; Bemidji, Minn. Cost: free. For information: (218) 755-4900; (888) 738-3224; http://www.cri-bsu.org.