New study identifies biomass harvesting techniques that have few long-term impacts
MOSCOW, Idaho, October 6, 2016 - A set of newly published studies evaluated nearly forty years of data on the impacts of biomass utilization on soil, tree, and plant recovery and found minimal impact using certain forest harvesting techniques.
“In the early 1970’s there was a growing concern that high levels of biomass removal would deplete these ecosystems of vital nutrients and organic matter and negatively impact the long-term health of forests – that is what fueled this research,” said Dr. Deborah Page-Dumroese, lead scientist on the study from the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station.
“We did not find any clear evidence that intensive biomass removal negatively impacted these sites, nearly forty years later these sites were healthy and had minimal observable impact,” said Dr. Woongsoon Jang, a research scientist on the study from the University of Montana.
These findings are important because of the renewed focus on the potential for biomass energy to be a big contributor to the growing green economy. They also reveal the importance of long-term forest research. Initial differences in the soils and shrub communities disappeared as these forests matured, a fact that could be determined only with the passage of time.
The studies show that with proper use of low-impact logging techniques, intensive biomass utilization from forests can be done with few long-term impacts to the site. “This is great news for those interested in the green economy and the ability of forest biomass to contribute as a low-carbon alternative,” said Dr. Christopher Keyes, a lead scientist on the study from the University of Montana. “In moist-cool forests like these, using low-impact harvesting techniques, we can extract forest biomass, reduce fire hazard and promote the local economy, with few long-term impacts.”
In-Press Study
Long-Term Regeneration Responses to Overstory Retention and Understory Vegetation Treatments in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Jang, W; Keyes, C.; Dumroese, D. (2016). In press. http://dx.doi.org/10.5849/forsci.2016-044