FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2008
10:00 AM
CONTACT: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP)
Ben Lilliston, 612-870-3416,
ben@iatp.org
Test Biomass Harvests Yield Important Lessons
MINNEAPOLIS – June 19 – A series of test forest biomass harvests from the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota indicate that such harvests could reduce the cost of fire prevention management while providing work for loggers and fuel for renewable energy facilities.
The findings were released today in the study, “Harvesting Fuel: Cutting Costs and Reducing Forest Fire Hazards Through Biomass Harvest,” coauthored by Don Arnosti (Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy), Dr. Dalia Abbas (University of Minnesota) and Dr. Michael Demchik (University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point). Biomass is material in the forest not traditionally utilized in pulpwood or sawtimber markets, such as shrubs, small-diameter trees, tree branches, and coarse woody debris.