LAKE COUNTY FORESTRY DEPARTMENT

WOODY BIOMASS

LAKE COUNTY FORESTRY

WOODY BIOMASS

BIOMASS HARVEST TRIAL SITES

Our trial sites have been timber sales where we worked with the purchaser to establish price and management guidelines for different products. The only stable factor is that we know things will change.

LAKE COUNTY BIOMASS FACTS PROS AND CONS

•PROS•APPROXIMATELY 8,000 ACRES OF OVER-MATURE BIRCH

•APPROXIMATELY 12,000 ACRES OF OFFSITE ASPEN

•CONS•CONIFER PLANTATIONS ONLY 0 TO 20 YEARS OLD

•MOST TAX FORFEIT LAND IN SOUTHERN 1/3 OF COUNTY HAS LIMITED FIRE HAZARD REDUCTION NEEDS

•FEW BRUSHLAND AREAS AND LIMITED TAMARACK STANDS

3 STAGES OF LAKE COUNTY’S BIOMASS EXPERIENCE

1. 2006 – IRRATIONAL EXUBERANCE! OFF SITE ASPEN SALES WOULD ALLOW SITES TO BE SITE PREPPED AND CONIFER CONVERSION PAID FOR WITH STUMPAGE RECEIPTS.

2. 2007- REALITY SETS IN. STUMPAGE PRICES PLUNGE AND MARKETS DRY UP.

3. 2008 - DESPAIR. MAYBE THAT ASPEN DOESN’T LOOK SO BAD.

LAKE COUNTY’S BIOMASS FUTURE?•LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN AGENCIES AND CONSUMERS

NEEDS TO IMPROVE

•ARE WE ABLE TO WORK WITH RAPIDLY CHANGING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS?

•WILL ECONOMICS DETERMINE PRODUCTS AND WHAT LAND WILL BE MANAGED?

•LIMITED STAFF – UNLIMITED FLEXIBILITY? (ALMOST)

LAKE COUNTY’S BIOMASS FUTURE? (continued)

•WILL BIOMASS BE CLASSIFIED AS MERCHANTABLE WHEN OTHER MARKETS ARE DOWN?

ARE THERE TOO MANY VARIABLES DURING THE EMERGENCE OF THE BIOMASS MARKET TO DEVELOP A ONE SIZE FITS ALL POLICY?

IS LEGISLATION NEEDED TO ALLOW DEVELOPMENT OF THE BIOMASS MARKET?

THE END