Forest sustainability in the state of Virginia, USA Client: GDF Suez - Electrabel boulevard Simon Bolívar B-1000 Bruxelles Project No.: 130373 July 2014 SGS BELGIUM S.A. 1 αβχ Project No.: 130373 July 2014 GDF Suez- Electrabel Forest sustainability in Virginia CONTENTS 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................4 2. Virginia forests overview .................................................................................................................4 2.1. Location and distribution ..........................................................................................................4 2.1. Ecological zones ......................................................................................................................5 2.2. Forest species ..........................................................................................................................9 2.3. Forest ownership ................................................................................................................... 10 2.4. Competent authorities ........................................................................................................... 11 2.5. Overview of wood-related industry ........................................................................................ 13 3. Sustainability of Virginia forest ..................................................................................................... 16 3.1. Evolution of forest area an risk of conversion ....................................................................... 16 3.2. Living wood volumes and removals ...................................................................................... 20 3.3. Protection of ecosystems and biodiversity ............................................................................ 22 3.4. Protection of water ................................................................................................................ 26 3.5. Protection of soils .................................................................................................................. 29 3.6. Protection of carbon stocks ................................................................................................... 29 3.7. Protection of air quality .......................................................................................................... 31 3.8. Illegal logging ........................................................................................................................ 32 3.9. Civil rights and traditional rights ............................................................................................ 33 3.10. Forest certification ............................................................................................................. 33 4. Conclusions .................................................................................................................................. 34 FIGURES Figure 1: General maps of Virginia .........................................................................................................4 Figure 2 : Percent of county in forest land (Virginia, 2010) ....................................................................5 Figure 3: Ecoregions of Virginia (Levels III & IV) ....................................................................................8 Figure 4: Area distribution of forest land by forest-type group (2012) ....................................................9 Figure 5 : Distribution of major forest types of Virginia ........................................................................ 10 Figure 6 : Regional areas of the Forest Service .................................................................................. 12 Figure 7 : Virginia VDOF administrative regions ................................................................................. 13 Figure 8 : Roundwood production for all products by species group and year ................................... 14 Figure 9 : Roundwood production by type of product (Virginia, 2009) ................................................ 15 Figure 10 : Primary wood-using mills by region (Virignia, 2009) ......................................................... 15 Figure 11 : Change in forest land and timberland area over time – Virginia ....................................... 17 Figure 12 : Forest Inventory and Analysis Survey Units in Virginia .................................................... 17 Figure 13 : Forest land area (in million ha) change by FIA survey unit ............................................... 18 Figure 14 : Trend and projection of timberland area for Virginia ......................................................... 19 Figure 15 : Projection of forest types 2008-2058 in Virginia ............................................................... 20 Figure 16 : Evolution of net volume of live trees (at least 5 inch d.b.h./d.r.c.) in million m³ on timberland (Virginia, 1977-2012) .................................................................................................. 20 SGS BELGIUM S.A. 2 αβχ Project No.: 130373 July 2014 GDF Suez- Electrabel Forest sustainability in Virginia Figure 19 : Average net annual growth VS removals of live trees on timberland (at least 5 inch d.b.h./d.r.c.), in million m³ ............................................................................................................. 21 Figure 20 : Protected areas in Virginia ................................................................................................ 23 Figure 21 : State Parks in Virginia ....................................................................................................... 23 Figure 22 : National parks in Virginia ................................................................................................... 24 Figure 24 : Carbon stocks evolution in forestland – Virginia, 2001-2012 ............................................ 31 TABLES Table 1 : Area of forest land by forest-type group (2012).......................................................................9 Table 3 : Area of forest land and timberland by ownership groups ..................................................... 11 Table 4 : Evolution of forested area (2001-2012) and timberland (1977-2012) in Virginia ................. 16 Table 6 : Land under protection status in Virginia (as of 2011) ........................................................... 22 Table 7 : New land under conservation status per year in Virginia (1998-2005) ................................ 24 Table 8 : Statewide data for the 2012 BMP audit by BMP category ................................................... 28 Table 9 : Regional data for the 2012 BMP audit by BMP category ..................................................... 28 Table 10 : Carbon stocks evolution in forestland – (Virginia 2001-2012)............................................ 30 Table 11 : Certified forest land in Virginia (2011) ................................................................................ 33 SGS BELGIUM S.A. 3 αβχ Project No.: 130373 July 2014 GDF Suez- Electrabel Forest sustainability in Virginia 1. Introduction The combustion of wood for energy purpose is not considered to contribute to the augmentation of greenhouse gases concentration in the atmosphere, as long as the CO2 emissions released during the combustion of wood are balanced by the growth of new trees. It is therefore essential to investigate if the forests in the region where the wood used for energy purpose are managed in a sustainable way, avoiding resources associated with overexploitation of forests, land use change, depletion of carbon stocks, etc... In this framework, literature research was carried out to produce a summary of forest management in Virginia, including general condition, management and sustainability assessment. 2. Virginia forests overview 2.1. Location and distribution Virginia is located in the East of the USA and covers a total surface area of 110 785 km². The State of Virginia is divided into 95 counties and is bordered by Maryland on the north and on the east, by Atlantic Ocean on the east, by North Carolina and Tennessee on the south, by Kentucky on the west and by West Virginia on the north and on the west. Figure 1: General maps of Virginia Source: NETSTATE – North Carolina (http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/mapcom/va_mapscom.htm) SGS BELGIUM S.A. 4 αβχ Project No.: 130373 July 2014 GDF Suez- Electrabel Forest sustainability in Virginia The forests of Virginia are part of the large forest area of the South East USA. Nowadays, Virginia’s forest covers about 62% of the State’s land area with 6.43 million ha1. Nearly all of the forest land (96%) is considered available for timber production (timberland). As seen on the figure below and according to the inventory2 conducted in 2010 by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Forest Service, the majority of counties in Virginia are at least 50% forested. The least forested counties are located in the northern portion of the State and along the coast. Figure 2 : Percent of county in forest land (Virginia, 2010) Source: Forest Inventory & Analysis factsheet (Virginia 2010) - USDA – Forest Service 2.1. Ecological zones Virginia's lower elevations and lowest points (sea level) are in the east along the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The land rises to the west where the Blue Ridge Mountains run