1 Knowledge Products to Inform Rural Communities about Sustainable Forestry for Bioenergy and Biobased Products C.T. Smith, L. Biles, D. Cassidy, C.D.

1

Knowledge Productsto Inform Rural Communities about

Sustainable Forestry for Bioenergy and Biobased Products

C.T. Smith, L. Biles, D. Cassidy, C.D. Foster, J. Gan, W.G. Hubbard, B.D. Jackson, C. Mayfield and H.M. Rauscher

Texas A&M University, Southern Forest Research Partnership, Southern (USA) Region Forestry Extension,University of Georgia, USDA Forest Service

IUFRO Conference onTransfer of Forest Science Knowledge and Technology

Troutdale, Oregon

10-13 May 2005

2

Outline

• Describe the issues and opportunities facing rural communities in the southern USA

• Provide overview of USDA funded project

• Stimulate questions and discussion

3Eastern forest types

13 Southern states

Geographic regionand dominant forest types

4

Situation in the rural South

Forces of change described in the Southern Forest Resource Assessment Wear and Greis, 2002 -- http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/sustain/

Five forces are reshaping forests:• Land markets – losses to urbanization• Timber markets – increased Southern production• Social institutions – increasing regulations• Biological factors – spread of native and exotic pests• Physical factors – increased pollution and catastrophic disturbance

5

Issues and opportunities facing the South

• The South provides 60% of the USA timber supply• Many rural communities are:

• richly endowed with forest resources• heavily dependent on forestry• socially & economically disadvantaged

• Recent setbacks in pulpwood markets

• Urgent need to diversify utilization of forest resources• Potentially large resource of underutilized biomass

• small diameter, dense stands• stands posing high fire risk in WUI areas• harvest residues• manufacturing and processing residues

• Bioenergy and biobased products are:• timely and viable option

6

If Bioenergy and biobased products are a timely and viable option,

What is necessary to seize the moment?

• Educate key communities of interest about• Resource availability• Sustainable forest management• Harvesting and transport logistics system design • Processing systems• Woody biomass utilization opportunities

• Assuming factors key to implementation include• awareness of opportunities• technical knowledge• coordination of key communities of interest

7

Sustainable Production of

Biobased Products

Product Delivery Logistics

Rural Economic

Development

Manufacturing/Energy Production

Sustainable Forest

Operations

Consumer Demand

Environmental Sustainability

Critical Components of Sustainable Bioenergy Production Systems

Martin Holmer, 2001 IEA Bioenergy Task 31

8Source: Texas Forest Service, 2004

Source: Spatial Science Laboratory, Texas A&M

9

Operational Electricity Capacity Based on Logging Residues from Growing Stock &

Other Sources

Capacity (MW) 300 or above (9) 200 to 299 (7)100 to 199 (12) 50 to 99 (4)0 to 49 (18)

10

Logistical options

to recoverloose residues

Source: Björheden

Courtesy Tapio Ranta, VTT Processes 2002

11

Forest energy is important in Nordic countries…

Denmark 5, Norway >10, in Sweden and Finland ~25%

Black liquor, Pine oil > 35 TWh

Chipwood 1 TWh

Residues 4.4 TWh

0.7 TWhThinning

By-products 5 TWh

~ 3 TWh Imports

< 5 TWh Recycled wood

Forest sectorForest sector > 50 TWh> 50 TWh

Source: Björheden

12

U.S. Department of Energy

Energy Efficiency and Renewable EnergyOffice of the Biomass Program

Thermochemical Platform

Sugar Platform

FuelsChemicals & Materials

BiomassCombined Heat & Power

Residues

Clean Gas

Conditioned GasBio-oils

Sugar Feedstocks, Lignin Intermediates

Advanced Biomass R&D

Systems Integration = BiorefineriesSource: Russo

13

Communities of interest for bioenergy and biobased products

14

The logic model: a framework for program performance evaluation

15

Recent policy and legislation in the USA includes:• Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000• Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003

• containing Title II: Biomass Research

Related development of USDA-DOE program titled“Biomass Research and Development Initiative”• DOE funded topics• USDA funded topics

• Topic 5 – Harvesting and feedstock supply• Topic 6 – Environmental and economic sustainability• Topic 7 – Training materials development

16

Project funding from USDA-DOE program titled“Biomass Research and Development Initiative”

Objectives• Synthesize scientific and technical knowledge

• sustainably managing, harvesting, processing and utilizing woody biomass

• Produce a variety of information products• curricula, fact sheets, bulletins, videos• web-based hypertext encyclopedia of knowledge• web-based courses

• Craft products into curricula, training events and programs• Target program delivery to forest managers and communities• Provide program evaluation of training curricula and materials

• peer review• beta testing• user-audience evaluations and feedback

17

Six major training modules

• Introduction to forest biomass use in the SouthDarwin Foster & Chyrel Mayfield, Texas A&M

• Silviculture treatments for enhanced biomass production Darwin Foster & Chyrel Mayfield, Texas A&M• Harvesting and processing biomass

Ben Jackson & Daniel Cassidy, University of Georgia• Utilizing biomass for bioenergy, biofuels and biobased economy

Ben Jackson & Daniel Cassidy, University of Georgia• Socio-economic impacts and community development issues

Jian Gan & Chyrel Mayfield, Texas A&M• Developing environmentally sustainable production systems

Tat Smith & Chyrel Mayfield, Texas A&M

18

Proposed strong conceptual basis for modules

IEA Task 18 & 31 book –

Richardson, J., Björheden, R., Hakkila, P., Lowe, A.T. and Smith, C.T. (eds.). 2002. Bioenergy from Sustainable Forestry: Guiding Principles and Practice. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. 344 p.

19

Web-based hypertext encyclopedia of knowledgeto be developed in contribution to the Forest Encyclopedia Network (FEN)• developed by Mike Rauscher and colleagues

4 existing encyclopedias:• Southern Appalachian Ecosystems• Southern Fire Science• Southern Bioenergy Resource• South-wide Forest Science• more planned…

• Core group of 12 editors and developers working since 2000

• Bottom line – many participants, ongoing expansion, substantial progress, efficient software infrastructure, and welcome new participants

20

Proposed new design for the

Forest Encyclopedia Network

by Bryan Jordin

21

Draft web site for hypertext encyclopedia

by Michael Rauscher

22

Landownership Patterns in East Texas

Historical

Industry

32%

Public

7% NIPF

61%

2003

NIPF

61%

Public

7%

Industry

17%

Investors

15%

23

The Texas Forestry Extension Model

Extension Program Council

People

Extension Education Programs

Science/ Researc

h

Program Delivery

Forestry Extension Specialists

County Extension

Agents

Texas Forest Service

Coordinators

24

Education and technology transfer challenges related to demographics and forest ownership patterns in the South

• Mostly in hands of non-industrial private owners (NIPF)

• Diverse education, socio-economic, ethnic backgrounds• Busy folks, with limited free time• Wide spread geographic locations• Increasing percentage of NIPF are absentee owners

• Emphasizes need for new education and training methods• Train-the-trainer approaches• Southern forestry extension and state forestry agencies key• Web-based materials• Satellite download to many locations simultaneously

25

Thanks!