Biomass Harvesting Guideline Development

1. Biomass Harvesting Guideline Development

2. 2005 legislative session • HF 1026 & SF 69 • Modified Mn state statute 216B.2424 • Expands the definition of “farm-grown closed-loop biomass” that public utilities seeking to fulfill the state’s biomass mandate must meet, to include “sustainably managed woody biomass”

3. HF 1026 & SF 69 • “Sustainably Managed Woody Biomass” includes: • Brush and trees removed from rights of way • Upland and Lowland brush harvested as part of brushland habitat management • Logging slash or residue created by timber harvest, TSI, fuel management, or insect& disease control or treatments

4. HF 1026 & SF 69 • Indicates that DNR & MFRC must develop guidelines or best management practices for “sustainably managed woody biomass” • DNR should develop guidelinesforutilizing woody biomass whilemanaging and maintaining brushland and open land habitat on public and private lands • MFRC should develop guidelinesfor logging slash, and removal of woody biomass from forest lands with particular attention to soil productivity, biological diversity and wildlife habitat • Guidelines must be adopted by July 1 2007

5. Biomass Harvesting Guideline Development • DNR and MFRC agreed to consolidate the guideline development effort into one process under the direction of the MFRC • One team of individuals will create two sets of guidelines – one for brushlands and one for forested sites.

6. BHGDT Committee • Team make-up • Dick Rossman (DNR Forestry) (chair) • Dave Grigal (Professor Emeritus, Soil Science Department, Univ. of Minn.) • Bill Berguson (Program Director, NRRI) • Steve Merchant (DNR Wildlife) • Kurt Rusterholtz (DNR Eco-Services) • John Thompson (St. Louis county) • Steve Olson (Fond-Du-Lac forestry) • Erv Berglund(retired Hydrologist) • Tom McCabe (McCabe Forest Products) • Barb Luelling (Superior National Forest) • Patrick Orent (Ainsworth Engineered) • Bill Berg (Retired DNR & Sharptail Grouse Society)

7. What Will The GuidelinesLook Like? • These guidelines should compliment existing Site Level Forest Management Guidelines • Forest biomass guidelines may fit as an additional chapter to the current guidelines • Brushland biomass guidelines may stand alone or be incorporated into the current guidelines • Guidelines will apply statewide

8. Biomass Harvesting Guidelines • Potential Issues: • Soil productivity • physical properties and nutrient management • potential for increased trafficking of sites • Wildlife habitat • Increased utilization of CWD and slash • Management of brushland composition & age structure • Site access and operability • Most brushlands are wetland

9. Approach • 4 meetings and 1 field tour • First focus has been on forested sites • Sub-committees have proposed guidelines for 3 main topic areas • Soil Productivity • Wildlife habitat • Water Quality / RMZs

10. Approach • Biomass harvesting on forested sites • timber harvest with an increase in the level of utilization • We already have timber harvest guidelines • Removal of additional material presents potential for reduced sustainability of the site

11. Approach • Evaluate existing guidelines • Are guideline adequate for biomass harvesting? • Do guidelines need modifications to fit biomass harvesting issues? • Are new guidelines needed to address biomass harvesting issues? • We are not changing existing guidelines

12. Example – filter strips • Current guidelines do not address down&dead material (CWD) in filter strips • Biomass guidelines should address removal of this material in filter strips

13. Example - RMZ • Current guidelines set cutting limits using Basal Area of merchantable trees • Biomass guidelines need to address all woody vegetation in the RMZ as well as CWD.

14. Example - soils • Current guidelines have 3 categories of soils were nutrient conservation strategies include redistribution of slash • Recent studies suggest that this strategy may only be effective on the deep peat soils and shallow to bedrock soils.

15. Example - CWD • Current guidelines were written when down & dead material had no market • Biomass harvesting creates a market for CWD as well as fine woody debris • This higher level of utilization increases the significance of CWD.

16. BHGDT Committee Meetings • Meeting schedules are posted in EQB monitor • Minutes are posted on the MFRC website • Outside observers are welcome to attend meetings

17. Questions?

18. BHGDT Committee -Protocols • Committee protocols include: • Meeting schedules will be posted in EQB monitor • Minutes are posted on the MFRC website • Decisions will be majority based although consensus will be sought – disagreements to be forwarded to Site-level Committee for resolution • Committee members can designate alternates if unable to attend a meeting • Outside observers are welcome to attend meetings • BHGDT reports to the MFRC Site Level Committee

19. Biomass Guideline Development Timeline • Laurentian Energy Authority (LEA) has funded the biomass harvesting guideline development process • The Biomass Harvesting Guideline Development Technical committee (BHGDT) has been appointed • Committee work formally started in April 2006 • Draft guidelines due December 2006 • Guidelines adopted by July 1, 2007