Woody Biomass Utilization
Woody biomass comprises residues of the wood processing industry, post-consumer woody waste materials and agricultural residues in addition to material from the forest.
The forest biomass consists of small-diameter woody material, damaged or low-valued trees, the branches (slash) and diseased or insect infested wood. This material represents a huge untapped biomass resource and it's removal could improve forest health and reduce the risk of catastophic wildfire.
Much of the forest biomass resource is not currently utilized due to it's physical properties and relatively low value. The expense of removal and transportion further reduce it's appeal as a raw material. Developing markets and processing technologies to use this material would help to recover some of the cost of important wildland management projects.
