China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Forested Northern Wetlands of North America
Published in Carl C. Trettin, Martin F. Jurgensen, David F. Grigal, Margaret R. Gale, John K. Jeglum, Northern Forested Wetlands, 2018
Thomas E. Dahl, Stephen C. Zoltai
It is possible that southern and western softwood forested stands will be insufficient to meet the increased needs of timber harvesters, habitat conservation areas and expanding urban land uses of the future. Commercial foresters are already implementing intensive management practices, including aerial application of herbicides and pesticides on southern pine stands, in an effort to obtain a 17-year rotation (Okeefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, personal communi-cation). If this trend continues, increased tree harvesting may be expected in the future, especially for pulpwood and fiber-based construction panels and related products (Powell et al., 1993).
Opportunities and challenges of woody biomass harvesting practices in the Southeastern region of the United States
Published in International Journal of Forest Engineering, 2023
Manisha Parajuli, Tom Gallagher, Richard Cristan, Marissa Jo Daniel, Dana Mitchell, Timothy McDonald
The global demand for renewable energy is forecasted to rise, with renewable energy predicted to make up over 60% of worldwide electricity by 2030, up from 28.7% in 2021 (IEA 2022). To address the rising energy demand, decrease dependence on fossil fuels, and tackle climate change, it is imperative to tap into numerous renewable energy sources. Woody biomass emerges as a viable alternative (Séguin 2011; Ranius et al. 2018; Titus et al. 2021). In 2020, wood and wood waste made up 22% of total renewable energy consumption in the United States (US) (EIA 2021). The Southern US, often known as the “wood basket of the nation,” contributes about 60% of the country’s wood and has the potential to be a crucial source of woody biomass for energy production (Staudhammer et al. 2011). Conventional harvesting operations in the Southern US typically involve harvesting whole trees for use as pulpwood, sawtimber, poles, and veneer. Logging residues are usually left at the harvest site or burned, though some are utilized to mitigate soil erosion. These operations are projected to yield 32 million dry tonnes of harvested residue annually for energy production (Eisenbies et al. 2009). Woody biomass could serve as a reliable source of cellulosic ethanol for bioenergy and bioproduct production (Zhu et al. 2010; Séguin 2011; Merklein et al. 2016), potentially making the Southern US a primary feedstock source for bioenergy.