Upcoming Landowner Habitat Meetings

Woody Biomass Workshop
October 11, 2012

Pheasants Forever, along with several partners, will host a luncheon workshop Tuesday, October 11, to discuss new and developing opportunities for the conversion to woody biomass energy. The Nebraska Forest Service now has funds available to help interested institutions determine whether they are candidates for conversion to this energy source. Such funds will cover up to half the cost of woody biomass feasibility studies for both public and private institutions/businesses that are interested in converting to biomass systems.

Woody biomass energy systems, like the one in place at Chadron State College, provide proven, reliable energy for both heating and cooling. Woody biomass energy is also a viable energy source for industrial applications, electricity generation and ethanol production. "Woody biomass is a near-carbon-neutral energy source that, as an industry, creates jobs and new sources of income," said Adam Smith, Nebraska Forest Service woody biomass coordinator. Smith will be presenting at the October 11 workshop.

Many partnering agencies such as Pheasants Forever, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the Nebraska Forest Service have been working with private landowners in the Wildcat Hills to thin back their pine forests to more naturally occurring pine "woodlands."  Biologists feel that pine forests in western Nebraska have become overly dense primarily due to many years of aggressive fire suppression. These same biologists believe that pine stands that are too dense no longer provide proper native wildlife habitat. Extreme and erratic wildfire behavior is an additional problem when pine stand densities exceed the norm.

According to Brad McKinney, Pheasants Forever's Wildcat Hills Coordinating Wildlife Biologist, mechanically thinning pine stands is expensive. "We are trying to find grant monies to assist landowners who are interested in thinning back their pine stands," said McKinney. "But generally, the landowner is still left with 25% of the thinning costs." McKinney believes that if a market existed for the woody biomass, landowners could offset the cost of thinning pine by selling their wood product to those institutions that are converting to biomass energy and in need of wood chips to fuel their systems. "It would be a win-win situation," said McKinney.

Nebraska Forest Service District Forester, Doak Nickerson also sees benefits between the landowner and the woody biomass consumer. "Without sustainable, active management practices, such as thinning, harvesting, chipping and burning, the forester knows we leave the forest exposed to the more dramatic, less pleasing impacts of drought, insects, diseases and catastrophic wildfire," said Nickerson. McKinney added that, "this thinning will help stave off pine bark beetle, reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires, improve native wildlife habitat and will likely increase forage for beef production."

The luncheon workshop is open to those businesses and institutions interested in exploring the possibility of converting their cooling and heating systems to a woody biomass energy source. Landowners with large tracts of forest interested in the possibilities of thinning and marketing their pine stands are also welcome. The workshop will be held from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Tuesday, October 11 at the Panhandle Research and Extension Center (Bluestem Room), Hwy 71, Scottsbluff. The workshop and lunch are free to those registered. Lunch will be provided by Pheasants Forever through a Nebraska Environmental Trust grant. To register, call Pat at 632-1276, or email: pmartin2@unl.edu. The deadline to register for this luncheon is Friday, October 7.