Short Rotation Forestry and Short Rotation Coppice research in Northern Ireland

1. Short Rotation Forestry and Short Rotation Coppice research in Northern Ireland Alistair McCracken, Rodrigo Olave, Jim McAdam and Lindsay Easson

2. Northern Ireland forests Total area 86,600 ha. About 400 ha are harvested each year About 1000 ha of SRC willows have been planted for biomass Forest Service Private N. Ireland Total Conifer 54,800 10,200 65,000 Broadleaf 5,300 16,300 21,600 Total 60,100 26,500 86,600

3. Short Rotation Coppice Willows Miscanthus (Elephant Grass) Short Rotation Forestry Opportunities for biomass development in Northern Ireland Forest Brash

4. AFBI Research 1. Sustainability of trees in woodland and farm ecosystems The programme aims to demonstrate practices whereby natural resources are managed dynamically and ecologically through the integration of trees into farming. • Silvopasture • Where trees are grown in grazed pasture in a regular or varied pattern • Research started at Loughgall in 1989 • Planted wide spaced ( 5x5 m) Ash into ryegrass sward and compared it with open pasture and woodland • Compatible with farming systems

5. Silvoarable • The programme also includes a silvoarable trial with hybrids of poplar and spring barley which aims to assess the potential of the system as a precursor to other land use options. • Five varieties of poplar trees were planted in 1999 and cereals grown between them until 2009 • No need for tree protection • Cereal yield was unaffected by the trees • Now grassed down with top AFBI bred varieties for sheep grazing trial – Tyrella, Dunluce and others The research also aims to show that Silvopasture/silvoarable as a form of Agroforestry can help address some of the energy issues and offer a sustainable land use option to livestock farmers or foresters

8. Once season’s growth in 2010 Trials will include taking the wood through to combustion trials. The low temperatures this winter will have been a serve test for the Paulownia

9. Range of Paulownia clones on arable sites Paulownia vs poplar and eucalyptus on a forestry site

10. 3. Tree improvement of broadleaves Under a collaborative association of landowners, foresters, universities and research institutes (The British and Irish Hardwood Improvement Programme), we are actively attempting to improve the quality and performance of broadleaved species. Currently a clonal cherry trial throughout Ireland and a sycamore seed orchard at Loughgall. 4. Carbon sequestration in woody crops NI programme includes a target to reduce GHG emissions by 25% which requires us to able to measure emission reductions/carbon sinks. Increasing the amount of CO2 removed from the atmosphere by tree growth and tree expansion. Clonal cherry trial

11. Forest Brash Preliminary conclusions from brash recovery trials conducted by AFBI and the Northern Ireland Forest Service • 400 ha of forest are clear felled in Northern Ireland each year • Of the 40,000 t of branches and tops normally left on the site up to 20,000 t could be recovered for use as a source of biomass

12. The brash baler at Hillsborough 2007 produced a yield of over 62 tDM/ha brash from a 25 yr old sitka plantation. This has an energy value of 340 mWh per hectare equivalent to 4500 litres of heating oil

13. Short Rotation Coppice WIllow Why Salix (willow) ? • Native • Pioneer species • Ease of propagation:Preformed root initials (adventitious roots) • Ease of coppicing • Vigorous juvenile growth

14. Genotype evaluation • Swedish Breeding Programme (Lantmännen Agroenergi AB) • European Breeding Programme (formerly at Long Ashton: now at Rothamsted Research) • US Breeding Programme (Prof. Larry Smart)

15. N. Ireland Trial US genotypes: European / Swedish genotypes

16. Rust (Melampsora epitea)

17. Plant genotype mixtures • Use at least SIX genotypes • 3 from Sweden and 3 from Europe • Plant in random / short runs • Beneficial effects • Delays onset of rust • Slows build up of disease • Significantly reduces impact of disease • Reduces impact of beetle damage • Helps sustainability following frost • Increases yields

18. SRC Willow harvesting • Direct chip • Whole stem harvesting • ‘Biobailer’

21. Using willow as a multi-functional crop • Bioremediation of effluents and sludges

24. Food Processor Effluent to SRC Willow Pictures from Rural Generation Ltd

25. Carbon savings • Transport (66,000 km) • 17 t CO2 yr-1 (400 g Km-1) • Effluent treatment • 3 t CO2 yr-1 • Production of wood chip (10 t ha-1 yr-1) • 180 t CO2 yr-1 (wood chip = 500,000kWh) • Total C savings approximately 200t yr-1

26. Renewable Energy Centre AFBI Hillsborough

27. Performance of fuels Chipped Spruce Forest Brash Wood Pellets Miscanthus In terms of Quality standards Heat output Flue gas analysis Efficiency Ash content and analysis

28. Farm scale research anaerobic digester at AFBI Hillsborough

29. 1000 hectares of SRC willows (red dots), 10 ha miscanthus Strabane Mills AFBI Hillsborough Brook Hall Cookstown Leisure Centre CAFRE Greenmount IKEA Omagh College Carvil Housing Balcas CAFRE Loughry Omagh Leisure Centre Waterways Ireland Fayne ValleyCo-op Northern Ireland – Biomass for heat 400 hectares of forest harvested annually 55,000 t of wood pellets manufactured annually Thanks due to Rural Generation Ltd, Green Energy Ltd and others who supplied information on biomass installations in Northern Ireland

30. 4 ha Miscanthus research site Recovery of forest brash for biomass Research into biomass drying and storage Renewable Energy Centre District heating system Dairy parlour with hot water from biomass heating and solar panels Research into Anaerobic digestion of manures Research into Bio-remediation of farm water 6 ha of willow plots