ENERGY FROM WOODY BIOMASS

by Bill Cook
MSU Extension Service Forester

 What might the drive for wood-based bioenergy mean to forests?

Well, managing forests and removing forest products has been ongoing for decades. If were to remove more biomass, then we simply need a bit more information about ecological effects in sensitive areas and updates on evolving harvesting technology. Existing research clearly shows that additional biomass removal will have few negative environmental impacts.

Using forests for energy production will certainly expand market opportunities, which in turn will expand forest management opportunities and may allow us to more easily meet additional goals and objectives. Better markets mean better forests.

The technology of producing heat and electricity from wood is well-established. Within a few years, transportation fuels and a new range of chemical products will be produced from wood. –Technology—is only a part of the bioeconomy equation. Getting wood to the mills and marketing the mill products involve complexities that we may not at first consider.

Supplying woody feedstocks are within the domain of forestry.

There is no doubt that Michigan forests are among the nations most underutilized. We have huge volumes of net annual growth each year. The relative size of our wood-based industry is on the low side. The difficult part is figuring how much of that volume is actually accessible. How many forest owners will simply refuse to sell? And, what sort of forest products will new industries require? How much will they cost?

Foresters may be looking at additional ways to harvest forests and will likely need to modify silvicultural prescriptions. Existing and new research about forest types and site conditions will certainly limit the harvest in some places. Much this is already known.

We'll have more choices and will need to update our knowledge base. Machines that effectively thin small diameter stands are rare in the USA, as well as machines that harvest energy plantations, such as willow or hybrid poplar. Harvesting and moving woody energy biomass to a mill engages different sets of economic factors than what it takes to move logs or roundwood.

With another set of markets, we may be able thin stands at earlier ages, increasing growth rates. We will be able to use large volumes of currently non-commercial fiber. Abandoned farmlands might be used to grow energy crops. And lastly, we can better utilize the tops from logging operations. All this, of course, will need to be done within a framework of ecological sustainability, which is not as limiting as some might believe.

Policy decisions, new industries, and bioenergy technology all create exciting media sound bytes. But the fact remains that the forest component of a wood-based bioeconomy still needs quality forest management. And in Michigan, we have a wealth of competent expertise.

The energy potential from our forests exceeds that of all other combined Michigan renewable resources, all of which are needed to make a dent in our fossil fuel consumption. Sooner or later, folks will be knocking on the door of our forests to figure out the best ways to increase utilization of Michigan forests. A new and expanding industry is on the horizon. It should complement our existing industry, enhancing both.

Michigan may not be the first state in the country to develop in this arena and we're certainly far behind countries such as Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. Yet, we possess qualities that could make us a leader, if we play our cards right and embark on some strategic thinking.

WHAT’S UP WITH ALL THESE PINE CONES?

By Bill Botti

Just about everyone in Michigan has noticed the heavy crop of cones on the white pines this year. Several other tree species have also been noted with heavy seed crops this year. In August, at the MFA annual meeting, the question was put to Dr. Don Dickmann, retired professor of forestry from Michigan State University.

Don pointed out some of the many factors that might contribute. For instance, in the spring, when the flowers are emerging from the buds, a frost could kill them, so spring weather is a factor. Late summer and early fall weather is important, because that is the time when the tree programs itself for the coming spring.

White pine cones take two years to develop, so we’re looking at weather conditions in the late summer and fall of 2006, spring weather in 2007 and there’s one more factor: bugs. There are a couple of insects that feed on pine cones. Weather conditions must be just right for them as well.

So, in addition to the required favorable factors in 2006, ‘07 and ‘08, there must have been some unfavorable factors for the cone insects during that period. It’s a wonder we ever get a good crop! As a matter of fact, good crops are fairly common in white pine, occurring in Michigan every few years. Bumper crops, like this year’s, may come only once every 10 years or so.

White cedar, sugar maple and crab apple also seem to have bumper crops this year. Each species has different requirements because the dates of flowering and other characteristics vary. Some species develop over two years; some do it in one. While we can’t attribute our heavy seed crops to any one particular factor, we can say with some confidence that 2008 has been a pretty good year for lots of trees.

ASSESSING STORM DAMAGE

By Rick A. Lucas, CD Forester

Back on June 8th a storm hit Osceola County with such force that it literally flattened thousands of trees occurring in its path. A few days later, a team of National Weather Service meteorologists from Grand Rapids confirmed that a tornado with peak winds approaching 110 mph, corresponding to EF-1 damage on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, occurred along an intermittent path approximately 5 miles long and up to .5 miles wide. The path extended from a mile northeast of the village of Hersey into the Pere Marquette State Forest several miles away and north of the city of Evart.

The good news is the tornado did the bulk of its damage in the middle of a more remote part of the county away from any populated areas. The bad news is it left behind a tangled mess occurring on public and private lands that rendered the land both unusable and unsafe. For the private forestlands caught in the path of destruction, it will require some quick action and a lot of decisions on behalf of its owner to assess the damage, arrange for salvage operations and timber sales, minimize potential impacts of other disasters after the storm, dealing with financial issues such as income tax casualty losses, and altering management plans.

As soon as possible following such an event, a private landowner will want to visit their property to assess the damage. The assessment should include an inventory of the number, diameter and species of tree damaged. Whether the majority of the trees are uprooted, broken off or severely bent over. Part of the damage assessment should focus on roads, fences and gates, stream crossings and any other structures on the property. The access roads and its infrastructure must be able to support 80,000 pound log trucks and the accompanying logging equipment. Lastly, if possible, pictures should be taken for use with claims relative to income tax casualty losses and they prove to be very helpful for documenting expenditures and repairs.

Once the assessment is complete a landowner will be in a better position to determine whether they will need to consider a salvage harvest or whether the forest has a sufficient number of healthy trees to recover on its own. If it is determined that a salvage harvest is necessary, landowners will want to plan a harvest as soon as possible to best utilize the timber and redeem its value rather than let it go to waste. The available salvage period varies according to species and the expected product but generally should not exceed 60-90 days.

Forest owners also need to be aware that broken and damaged timber is no longer the same merchantable product as it was before a storm. Also, the value of storm damaged timber will further decrease with time for several reasons. Those reasons include staining or fungi, wood borers and bark beetles, large volumes of wood put on the market in a short period of time and individual markets themselves, as well as higher harvesting costs associated with damaged timber.

Timber salvage operations are more time consuming and dangerous than regular harvesting, therefore the prices paid for damaged timber will be lower than prices paid for standing timber. From a logging point of view, it takes two to three times as long to salvage one load of downed timber as it does to harvest a regular load of logs.

Given the high demand for assistance in the coming months following a storm, property size, and more importantly, timber volume, will influence how much help you will be able to receive. It will be very difficult, if not impossible, to have a small volume of timber harvested. If a number of adjacent forest owners are willing to work together to arrange for a salvage timber sale, then the combined timber volume may enhance the chances for hiring logging crews and receiving reasonable stumpage prices. Also, it may become necessary to consider including the timber management needs from unaffected parts of your property in order to attract a salvage operation.

Claiming casualty loss deductions for income tax purposes is a complicated matter. To be allowed as a casualty deduction, a loss to your timber must be caused by natural or other external factors acting in a sudden, unexpected and unusual manner. A sudden event is one that is swift, not gradual or progressive. An unexpected event is one that is ordinarily unanticipated and one that you do not intend. Tornadoes generally fit those IRS definitions.

Unfortunately most timber casualty losses are limited to the adjusted basis of the timber. The general rule is that the amount of deductible loss is the lesser of the decrease in the fair market value of the timber or the adjusted basis (minus any income received from a salvation operation and/or any insurance proceeds). Several other rules and conditions apply in order to claim a loss deduction. I highly advise consulting a tax advisor or forester knowledgeable in this area for further advice. It is also recommended that you make sure you get documentation of the date of the casualty, the location of the damage, property appraisals, and again, if possible, photographs of the property before and after the disaster occurred.

Once you have dealt with damage assessment, salvage operations and financial issues, the last important post- AT YOUR SERVICE Continued from page 7. storm step will be to revisit and revise your management plan to reflect the changes. Regeneration plans, harvest schedules and activities to minimize future potential problems will undoubtedly need to be reviewed and updated. Also, some activities may be eligible for financial assistance that may become available. If you do not have a current management plan, now may be a good time to develop one as you deal with the changes before you.

Lastly, it may be a good time to make an appointment with a public or private service forester to further assess the needs of your property. Whether your standing timber is heavily damaged or not, branches, leaves and broken tops will likely litter the forest floor after a storm, and become potential fuel for a wildfire the following spring. This situation, as well as stress impacts to residual trees brought on by bark beetles and other causal agents may be overlooked by the casual observer. Good planning is your best defense!

DON’T DO THIS TO YOUR TREES,
AND DON’T LET ANYONE ELSE DO IT EITHER.

by Bill Botti

Hunting from an elevated stand is quite popular these days; there are a variety of ready-made stands available on the market. Last year a popular sporting magazine ran a story on how to choose a tree for your deer stand. Readers were advised to select a tree that’s tall and straight, with no branches below the height of the proposed stand. That will make it easy to get up and down and will prevent blind spots caused by any lower branches.

The article went on to describe the various types of stands available on the market. Most of those described were types that include a ladder that straps to the tree. So far, so good. But then the author recommended the hunter screw a hook into the tree above the stand on which he could hang his bow. Worse yet, he included a description of steel screw-in steps as an alternative to the ladder-type stands. No mention was made of the effects of this activity on the tree itself or on unsuspecting people who might cut the tree.

The description of the perfect tree for a tree-stand happens to also be that of a good timber tree. Screwing or driving metal objects into trees destroys the trees’ value for timber and poses a severe safety hazard to anyone who would try to cut the tree into firewood or lumber. Certain types of these “The value of this walnut tree has been destroyed by the insertion of screw-in steps.” Devices that strap to the tree as this one do not harm the tree, but they should be loosened or removed each year.” steps can be removed from the tree. That eliminates the safety hazard from a saw hitting the metal, but it still causes a loss of value because of the hole in the wood and the resultant dark stain. After a couple of growing seasons it’s almost impossible to get the steps out. Surprisingly, it only takes a few more years for them to be completely engulfed by the growth of the tree.

A couple of years ago I did a little consulting work for an elderly gent who wasn’t able to get out into his woods. He had leased it for hunting several years earlier. After walking through the woods and noticing a number of tree stands, I asked this owner if he had said anything to his hunter about the screw steps. He answered that he had and that the hunter had agreed to remove them every year after deer season. I had found at least six trees with the steps still in them including a big basswood that had grown over them completely. Most of the other trees with steps were walnuts. I did also find a few that showed scars where the steps had been removed. This owner has lost well over $1,000 in value from these steps.

I’m continually surprised at the number of trees I find with steps in them. There are a number of ways to climb a tree. We should encourage people to use those methods that don’t injure our trees or forest workers.