The USDA-funded Woody Biomass Harvesting and Utilization Project is based in the Superior National Forest of northern Minnesota.

Read the project summary here

This page provides information on the project, harvest and field day schedules, documents and news related to woody biomass harvesting, and more. It will be updated frequently throughout the duration of the project (summer and fall 2006) so check back often for the latest news.

Biomass Harvest Guidelines in Minnesota

The state of Minnesota is nearing completion of a process to develop biomass harvesting guidelines for forest and brushlands. These guidelines would supplement the existing Voluntary Site Level Forest Management Guidelines published by the MN Forest Resources Council.

DRAFT Forest Biomass Harvest Guidelines

DRAFT Brushland Biomass Harvest Guidelines

When the final versions of these guidelines become available, we will post them here.

For a list of differences between the biomass harvest guidelines and existing Voluntary Site-Level Forest Management Guidelines, see:

Guideline Comparison (PDF)

To read CFRC director Don Arnosti's commentary on the new biomass harvest guidelines and what they mean for family forest owners, check out CFRC's latest newsletter:

Summer 2007 Newsletter (PDF)

Renewing Rock-Tenn

A Biomass Fuels Assessment for Rock-Tenn’s St. Paul Recycled Paper Mill

Read the executive summary here

Read the full report here

Winter 2007 Project Update

Date: 2/16/07

Fall harvests on 9 sites in the Superior National Forest have been completed and data from the harvest and processing activity is currently being analyzed. Winter harvests are scheduled to take place on the final sites north of Orr, MN, within the coming weeks.

When all harvests are complete and all data has been received and analyzed, the findings will be made available in a report. The final project report will be distributed to interested parties and made available on this site. Email kmarshall@iatp.org if you'd like to receive the final report via email.

Project Photos: Harvesting and Monitoring Activity

View photos from various stages of the project:

• Forwarding Biomass Bundles (PDF)

• Completed Harvest: Caribou Trail Site 13-10 (PDF)

• Harvested and Bundled: Caribou Trail Site 13-01-E (PDF)

• John Deere Slash Bundler Harvesting (PDF)

• Valmet 3-Wheel Feller Buncher Harvesting (PDF)

• UWSP Pre-Harvest Inventory (PDF)

Biomass Harvesting Site Photos

The harvests are taking place in three different areas of the Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota. Click on the links below to view photos taken during site visits in the fall of 2005.

• Photos: Caribou Trail west of Lutsen, MN (PDF)
• Photos: Pitcha Lake south of Ely, MN (PDF)
• Photos: Old Root north of Orr, MN (PDF)

Contact

For more information on the Woody Biomass Project, contact:
Don Arnosti, Forestry Program Director
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
612-870-3460
darnosti@iatp.org

To receive periodic email updates on the project, send your name and email address to

krojas-jahn@iatp.org