NCASI maintains a broad research program that reflects the wide variety of environmental concerns of interest to the forest products industry. Its Technical Studies Program is developed each year in consultation with representatives of member companies. Most of NCASI's research efforts fall into one of five major program areas: Air Quality, Water Quality, Ecological Assessment, Chemical Reporting, Forestry, and Climate Change. In many cases, NCASI’s efforts provide valuable policy and regulatory support in technical matters, enabling the industry to set policy and respond to proposed regulatory actions using sound science. Other projects support proactive pollution prevention measures by the industry, including those that reduce the formation of troublesome compounds or identify beneficial uses of waste materials.

NCASI’s efforts in the area of risk assessment assist the industry with complex environmental decision-making. Concerns that industry emissions or discharges might cause human and environmental health effects motivate NCASI to investigate the scientific basis of such concerns. Environmental issues such as biodiversity and wetlands preservation can influence the industry’s access to forest fiber resources, which prompts NCASI to sponsor an extensive effort in forest research.