Implications for Wildlife Habitat and Biodiversity
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Forestry Bioenergy in the Southeast United States: Implications for Wildlife Habitat and Biodiversity Final Report DRAFT December 5, 2013 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This study was commissioned by the National Wildlife Federation and Southern Environmental Law Center with funds provided by Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Patient project management was provided by F.G. Courtney-Beauregard, Julie Sibbing, Ben Larson, and Aviva Glaser of the National Wildlife Federation, as well as David Carr and Derb Carter from Southern Environmental Law Center. Bruce Stein and Barbara Bramble from National Wildlife Federation provided important suggestions and contributions in technical review that greatly improved the fi nal report. Jovian Sackett from Southern Envi- ronmental Law Center provided key GIS datasets and other insights that also were critical to project development and completion. We greatly thank Jacquie Bow, Kristin Snow, Jason McNees, and Leslie Honey of NatureServe for assistance in conducting and interpreting overlay analyses of at-risk (G1-G3) ecological associations. Additional assistance in developing G1-G3 analyses was provided by Matt Elliott, Anna Yellin, and John Ambrose at the Georgia Natural Heritage Program; John Finnegan from the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program; and Kirsten Hazler and Karen Patterson of the Virginia Natural Heritage Program. Research for this project was conducted through a collaborative effort between faculty and graduate student researchers at the University of Georgia, University of Florida, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (a.k.a., Virginia Tech University). Chapter 2, authored by Daniel Geller (University of Georgia, College of Engineering) and Jason M. Evans (University of Georgia, Carl Vinson Institute of Government), provides an overview of facilities chosen for the study’s focus. Chapter 3, authored by Divya Vasudev, Miguel Acevedo, and Robert J. Fletcher, Jr. (all from University of Florida, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation), pro- vides a presentation of conservation analysis methods and identifi cation of indicator species. Chapter 4, authored by Jason M. Evans, provides a technical explanation of spatial modeling methods employed for the facility case studies. Chapters 5-10, authored by Jason M. Evans, Alison L. Smith (University of Georgia, College of Envi- ronment and Design), Daniel Geller, Jon Calabria (University of Georgia, College of Environment and Design), Robert J. Fletcher, Jr., and Janaki Alavalapati (Virginia Tech University, Department of Forest Resources and En- vironmental Conservation) provide the results and discussion of facility case study analyses. Chapter 11, authored by Pankaj Lal (Montclair State University, Department of Earth and Environmental Studies), Thakur Upadhyay (Virginia Tech University, Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation) and Janaki Alava- lapati, provides an overview of forestry biomass energy policies within state, federal, and international contexts, as well as the increasing policy attention to biodiversity concerns. Chapter 12, co-authored by all investigators, synthesizes the results of the report into a series of suggestions for policy consideration and future research stud- ies. Executive Summary and Final Report layout completed by Alison L. Smith. Christopher Stebbins, a graduate student at the University of Georgia’s College of Environment and Design, provided key technical support for developing a number of GIS analyses and map designs. Robinson Schelhas, an undergraduate intern at the University of Georgia, provided tireless assistance with developing maps, assembling literature databases, formatting tables, and taking numerous photographs. Sumner Gann, a graduate student at the University of Georgia’s College of Environment and Design, provided document layout and formatting as- sistance. Cover photo credit: Tiffany Williams Woods TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction 7 II. Facility Descriptions 16 III. Indicator Species Selection 20 IV. Spatial Modeling Methodology 34 V. Case Study Of Georgia Biomass, LLC 47 VI. Case Study Of Enviva Pellets Ahoskie 76 VII. Case Study Of Piedmont Green Power 104 VIII. Case Study Of South Boston Energy 131 IX. Case Study Of Carolina Wood Pellets 162 X. Case Study Of Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center 195 XI. Woody Biomass For Bioenergy: A Policy Overview 226 XII. Summary And Conclusions 234 XIII. References 240 LIST OF FIGURES PLACEHOLDER LIST OF FIGURES PLACEHOLDER List of Acronyms AF&PA - American Forest and Paper Association ATFS – American Tree Farm System BCF - Biomass Conversion Facility BCAP - Biomass Crop Assistance Program BMP – Best Management Practice CoC- Chain of Custody DWM – Downed Woody Matter EA - Environmental Assessment FMP – Forest Management Plan FNP - Forests No Pasture* G1 – Critically Imperilled (Nature Serve Classifi cation) G2 - Imperiled (Nature Serve Classifi cation) G3 - Vulnerable (Nature Serve Classifi cation) FSA - Farm Services Agency FONSI - Finding of no Signifi cant Impact FNW – Forests no Wetlands* FOR – Forests* FSC - Forest Stewardship Council FSP – Forest Stewardship Program GAP – National Gap Analysis Program GHG – Greenhouse Gas GIS – Geographic Information Systems HAO – Harvest Area Objective HNW - Hardwood No Wetlands* HWD – All Hardwood* MCE – Multi-Criteria Evaluation MOLA - Multiple Objective Land Allocation NEPA - National Environmental Policy Act NIPF - Nonindustrial Private Forest PDP - Plantation, Disturbed and Pasture* PEFC - Programme on the Endorsement of Forest Certifi cation PNP - Plantation and Disturbed, No Pasture* PO – Plantation Only* RPS - Renewable Portfolio Standards SE – Southeastern (US) SFI - Sustainable Forestry Initiative SFM - Sustainable Forest Management SHARP - Sustainable Harvesting and Resource Professional SMZ - Streamside Management Zone SWAP – State Wildlife Action Plan UPL – Uplands* WLC – Weighted Linear Combination *Land Cover Sourcing Screen Forestry Bioenergy in the Southeast United States: Implications for Wildlife Habitat and Biodiversity Page 7 FINAL DRAFT: 12/05/2013 I. INTRODUCTION Spanning across the low-lying and sandy despite these direct habitat stressors and ad- soils of the Coastal Plain, the gentle slopes ditional secondary effects from large-scale and clay soils of the Piedmont, and the habitat fragmentation, today’s SE forest steep sloping terrains of the southern Ap- landscape still contains large areas of high palachian Mountains, the forests of the quality habitat that together support the vast southeastern (SE) U.S. are widely recog- majority of native plant and wildlife species nized for their high biodiversity. Differenti- originally found in the region at the time of ated across the region by various terrains, European discovery (Trani 2002). precipitation patterns, annual temperature ranges, and dominant tree species, SE for- This study was commissioned jointly by the ests broadly share a wet and humid climate National Wildlife Federation and Southern with mild winters that produce minimal to Environmental Law Center for the purpose no persistent snow cover in even the coldest of developing and discussing scenario-based locations. These favorable climate condi- assessments of wildlife habitat risks from tions support high primary forest produc- the woody biomass to bioenergy industry tivity as compared to most other U.S. forest in the SE U.S. The rationale behind the regions and similar temperate latitudes study that the SE U.S. forest region – which across the world. This high productivity and the U.S. Forest Service defi nes as including terrain heterogeneity together support the the forested areas of Alabama, Arkansas, wide diversity of ecological associations and Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mis- wildlife habitats found throughout the SE sissippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma South region. Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia – is currently experiencing what is perhaps the Land cover change and management fac- world’s most rapid growth in the develop- tors have prompted signifi cant popula- ment of woody biomass production facili- tion and range area declines for a number ties (Mendell and Lang 2012). According of native forest-dependent plants and to recent estimates by Forisk Consulting animals throughout the SE over the past (2013), U.S. wood pellet production may ex- two centuries. Specifi c factors that have ceed 13.7 million tons in 2014, representing served as primary stressors to native for- an 87% increase from 2012 and with most est biodiversity in the SE region include: of this production likely being supplied by 1) historic logging of virtually all original forests of the SE U.S. Due mostly to ongo- primary forests; 2) large-scale clearing of ing renewable energy mandates in the EU primary and naturally regenerated forests being implemented under the Kyoto Ac- for conversion into agriculture, plantation cord, some analysts expect similar demand pine forestry, and suburban development; 3) increases for SE wood pellets to continue long-term suppression of fi re from forest through 2020 and beyond (Goh et al. 2013). ecosystems dependent on this disturbance; and 4) establishment and spread of various Opportunities and Risks invasive plants, animals, and pathogens (see, Expansion of the bioenergy industry is e.g., Martin 1993; Griffi th et al. 2003). But prompting wide-ranging discussion about FINAL DRAFT: Page 8 Forestry Bioenergy in the Southeast United States: Implications for Wildlife Habitat and Biodiversity 12/05/2013 opportunities