HARVESTING and UTILIZATION OPPORTUNITIES for FOREST RESIDUES in the Northern Rocky Mountains
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HARVESTING AND UTILIZATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOREST RESIDUES in the northern rocky mountains USDA Forest Service General Technical Report INT-110 Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this publication is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not con- sti tute an official endorsement or approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of any product or service to the exclusion of others which may be suitable. This Proceedings was photographed from copy submitted by the contribu- tors. The Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station does not assume responsibility for any errors contained herein. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report INT-110 March 1981 HARVESTING AND UTILIZATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOREST RESIDUES in the northern rocky mountains Symposium Proceedings Nov. 28-30, 1979 Missoula, Mont. Sponsored by : Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Forest Service, USDA Bureau of Business and Economic Research, University of Montana Forest Products Research Society Inland Empire Section INTERMOUNTAIN FOREST AND RANGE EXPERIMENT STATION U. S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Ogden, Utah 84401 FOREWORD Timber utilization practices have improved dramatically in recent years, but there is still a large volume of unused wood residues and salvageable material in the Rocky Florintain area. The need to achieve more complete and efficient utilization of this resource poses a major challenge. National projections predict sub- stantial continued increases in demand for wood and wood fiber-based products. Environmental considerations a1 so favor extending (or at least maintaining) the use of wood, a renewable natural resource that can be processed with less energy and less attendant pollution than alternate materials. Increasing interest in biomass fuels for supplementary power generation further emphasizes the undeveloped potential of the wood residue resource. Excessive volumes of forest residues result in siqnificant management problems, creating a fire hazard, inhibi tin9 wildlife use, detracting from esthetic qua1 ity, interferinq with reqeneration, and requiring costly disposal treatments. Harvesting and utilization practices that facilitate more complete use of these residues can help meet national needs for wood products, and solve critical forest resource management problems. Research reported in this Symposium investiqates a1 ternative timber harvesting and processing practices that can achieve more intensive timber uti1 i zation. Flajor subjects include detailed evaluation of the resource; investigation of product, processing, and market opportunities; and development of harvesting and handling methods. University researchers have been deeply involved as collaborators in a1 1 aspects of the research program. Most of the research has been conducted in the lodgepole pine, larch, and Douglas- fir forests of Flontana, Idaho, and Wyoming, and within the economic and industrial context common to that area. Investigations have covered an array of resource and operational situations, and have emphasized harvesting and utilization alternatives appropriate for old-growth, unmanaqed stands. The results have broad implications for utilization of softwood species in general. ROLAND L. BARGER Program Manager USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station CONTENTS Keynote Address: Utilization trends--Past and future Ernest Corrick .....................-................................a.............l The Forest Residues Utilization R & D Program Roland L. Barger .......................-..........................................5 University research in renewable resources: A coming of age? A. A. Moslemi ..........................--....-...~...............................17 THE RESOURCE Resources eval uat i on and residue : Where we ' ve been and where we ' re going Dwane D. Van Hooser ..............................................................27 Residue characteristics in the Northern Rocky Mountains Robert E. Benson and Joyce A. Schlieter ..........................................33 Applications of a cost model to Northern Rocky Mountain residues Richard Withycombe ...............................................................45 The economic avai lab1 1i ty of forest residue. in the Northern Rocky Mountains : A prel imfnary analysis Charles E. Keegan III ............................................................55 HARVESTING OPPORTUNITIES Harvesting efficiency--A historical perspective Vernon W. Meyer ..................................................................67 Intensive utilization with conventional harvesting systems Roland L. Barger and Robert E. Benson ............................................ 77 Low capi tal i nvestment 1oggi ng systems John R. Host .....................................................................97 Outlook for new harvesting technology Michael J. Gonsior ..............................................................113 Outlook and opportunity for whole-tree chip qua1 i ty improvement John A. Sturos .................................................................. 147 Eva1 uating in-woods chipping feasi bi 1i ty George R. Sampson ............................................................... 159 UTILIZATION OPPORTUNITIES Particle and fiber building products from residue raw material T. M. Maloney ................................................................... 171 Extended use of residue for conventional solid wood products David P. Lowery ................................................................. 181 Practical consideration; in using low qua1 ity wood in 1umber, special ties, and plywoods J. H. Markley ................................................................... 191 Utilizing residue material in pulping Marvin McMichael, ............................................................... 194 Problems in processing low quality logs Remington Kohrt.. .............................................................. -197 Chemical characteristics of wood residues and impl ications for uti1 ization Rick G. Kelsey and Fred shafizadeh.............................................. 203 Technical and economic aspects of harvesting dead lodgepole pine for energy John W. Henley .................................................................. 213 Intermountain Region Wood Utilization and Wood Energy Appl ication Program Richard E. Leicht ............................................................... 217 Review of biomass gasification James D. Kerstetter.. ........................................................... 223 ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS Value ranking for utilizing lodgepole pine residues Thomas D. Fahey .............................................................. 239 A1 location of raw materials to a1 ternative products Henry L. Goetz...........,............ .......................................... 251 Forest management impl ications of improved residue uti1 ization : Biological impl ications in forest ecosystems A. E. Harvey, M. J. Larsen, and M. J. Jurgensen.. ...............................259 The implications of improved residue utilization on timber sale activities John G. Robatcek............................................................ 269 An economist's perspecti ve of residues Dennis L. Schweitzer.. .......................................................... 273 Legislation and pol icy influencing wood resource utilization Douglas A. Smith.. .............................................................. 281 Wood product and market trends influencing residue utilization ~ichard~ithycome .............................................................. 285 Residue utilization and the regional economy Maxine C. Johnson....... ................................................... 289 THE AUTHORS.. ...................................................................... 293 UTILIZATION TRENDS - PAST AND FUTURE Ernest Corri ck Genera1 Manager, Champi on Timber1 ands Champi on International Corporati on ABSTRACT The full utilization of residual material left in the woods fol 1owi ng loggi ng and thinning operations , and disease, in- sect attack, and windthrow has long been a source of concern and frustration to the forest manager. Recently there has been tremendous interest in increasing the use of residuals to combat projected energy and raw material shortages. The economics of harves ti ng increased 1 eve1 s of residuals must receive careful scrutiny. While manyorecovery ideas may be technologically and biologically possible, a1 1 utilization ideas wi 11 have to undergo thorough financial evaluation and will have to measure up against a1 ternative uses of monies. KEYWORDS: wood residues, residue uti 1ization Wood residuals by definition are what is left after valuable products have been removed by harvesting or manufacturing processes. It has been called slash, unmerchantable stem and branchwood, cull logs, foliage, and roots by the logger, and slabs, edgings, chips, sawdust, bark, and hogfuel by the mil 1 manager. By its nature it has been viewed more as a problem to be dealt with than as an opportuni ty to be expl oi ted. The full utilization of residual material left in the woods following logging and thinning operations, and disease, insect attack, and windthrow has long been a source of concern and frustration to the forest manager, Recently there has been tremendous interest in