Biomass Harvesting Guideline Development

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”

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

HF 1026 & SF 69 Indicates that DNR & MFRC must develop

guidelines or best management practices for “sustainably managed woody biomass” DNR should develop guidelines for utilizing woody

biomass while managing and maintaining brushland and open land habitat on public and private lands

MFRC should develop guidelines for 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

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.

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

BHGDT Committee Meetings

Meeting schedules are posted in EQB monitor Minutes are posted on the MFRC website Outside observers are welcome to attend

meetings

Questions?

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

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