Spatially Explicit Biomass Supply Sustainability Analysis for Bioenergy Mill Siting in Georgia, USA

ABSTRACT

Forest production sustainability is a broad and controversial subject that is frequently argued but rarely computed. Especially in the context of private forest ownership the results of erroneous assessment of forest production sustainability, such as in the case of woody biomass production for local mill operations, may result in economical losses, in lower regional employment rates, and decreased prosperity and competitiveness. We describe in this article a simulation-based quantitative approach to sustainability analysis of forest biomass production and utilization in the context of new bioenergy mill siting. The analysis is based on the best available forest inventory data and on the most upto- date knowledge of natural resource growth and yield dynamics as modelled by various studies available in the literature. The data used includes the USDA Forest Service FIA forest survey data as well as an enhanced analysis of data indicating locations of Intensive Management Plantations (IMP) at a county level, since such information, while not publicly available, has a significant impact on biomass production expectations. Using these data, simulated according to the state-of-the-art knowledge of regional growth and yield characteristics, we determine sustainable harvest levels (SHLs) for the purpose of siting bioenergy mills for 10- to 20-year production cycles. The simulations are conducted for each individual county of Georgia for four radii of procurement areas. The derived county level information on sustainable levels of biomass production, which vary for different units of analysis, can be used as a reference for effective forest utilization planning and for mill siting.