Knowledge Products to Inform Rural Communities about Sustainable Forestry

1. Knowledge Products to 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 on Transfer 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

3. 13 Southern states Geographic region and dominant forest types Eastern 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. Critical Components of Sustainable Bioenergy Production Systems Environmental Sustainability Consumer Demand Sustainable Production of Biobased Products Sustainable Forest Operations Manufacturing/ Energy Production Product Delivery Logistics Rural Economic Development Martin Holmer, 2001 IEA Bioenergy Task 31

8. Source: Texas Forest Service, 2004 Source: Spatial Science Laboratory, Texas A&M

9. Capacity (MW) 300 or above (9) 200 to 299 (7) 100 to 199 (12) 50 to 99 (4) 0 to 49 (18) Operational Electricity Capacity Based on Logging Residues from Growing Stock & Other Sources

10. Logistical options to recover loose residues Source: Björheden Courtesy Tapio Ranta, VTT Processes 2002

11. < 5 TWh Recycled wood Forest sector > 50 TWh ~ 3 TWh Imports 0.7 TWh Thinning Residues 4.4 TWh Chipwood 1 TWh By-products 5 TWh Black liquor, Pine oil > 35 TWh Forest energy is important in Nordic countries… Denmark 5, Norway >10, in Sweden and Finland ~25% Source: Björheden

12. Sugar Platform Fuels Chemicals & Materials U.S. Department of EnergyEnergy Efficiency and Renewable EnergyOffice of the Biomass Program Advanced Biomass R&D Sugar Feedstocks, Lignin Intermediates Residues Combined Heat & Power Biomass Clean Gas Thermochemical Platform Conditioned Gas Bio-oils Systems Integration = Biorefineries Source: 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 South • Darwin 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 knowledge • to 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 Public 7% NIPF 61% Industry 17% Investors 15% 2003 Public 7% NIPF 61% Industry 32% Historical

23. The Texas Forestry Extension Model Forestry Extension Specialists County Extension Agents Extension Program Council Texas Forest ServiceCoordinators People Science/ Research Program Delivery Extension Education Programs

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!