Best Management Practices & Landowner
Incentives for Woody Biomass Harvests in Missouri
Oak Decline
INTRODUCTION
Missouri’s forests make up approximately one-third of the land base and approximately 80 percent of this forest is privately owned. Missouri’s privately owned forests are overgrown with small diameter (6”-12”) trees and there are vast acreages that are sick and dying due to decades of neglect and mismanagement. Forests in this condition are not attractive to new industry due to their poor quality. From a forest management perspective there is no incentive to manage these stands because there are no viable markets for small diameter, low value material. Development of this resource for energy uses has great potential for new markets as well as solving the nation’s energy problems.
PROJECT SUMMARY
This project is comprised of two phases. Phase I is the development of a Best Management Practices Manual for Biomass Harvest. Guided by a statewide committee, it will be modeled after one in Minnesota.
Phase II is a feasibility study which will be done by a private consultant. Part One of the feasibility study will focus on investigating public and private incentives for conducting biomass harvests in a sustainable manner. Part Two of the feasibility study will focus on the structure and viability of third party audits to ensure sustainable harvests.
Deliverables include a printed manual, printed study, and a computer spreadsheet for landowner decision making.
Project Sponsors
This project is sponsored by the Big Springs, Bootheel, and Top of the Ozarks RC&D Councils, Eastern Ozarks Forestry Council, Missouri Department of Conservation, and University Extension.
Funding
Funding for the BMP Manual and Feasibility Study was in part through a $88,000 USDA-Forest Service Grant awarded in August 2007 and administered by Top of the Ozarks RC&D Council.
Latest Revision: Wednesday July 21, 2010 06:48:04 PM