Assessing the value of forestry to the Irish economy — An input–output approach

Input–output analysis was used to evaluate the total economic impact (i.e. the sum of the direct, indirect and induced impacts) of the forestry and wood products sectors on the Irish economy. The total impact of the forestry sector on a number of regional economies was also examined, as were the short-term economic consequences of an afforestation scenario. Only economic activity associated with timber production was considered, and externalities associated with the sector were not accounted for. The results show that in 2003, forestry produced a direct output of €255.4 million. For every euro of output from forestry, a further €0.85 of economic activity was generated, yielding a total output of €472.4 million and total employment level of 7182. The wood products sector generated a total output of €1.6 billion and a total employment level of 12,246. These estimates of the economic impact of the forestry and wood products sectors cannot be added due to an overlap in indirect and induced impacts. The gross total value of an afforestation programme amounting to 15,000 ha per annum over 5 years was shown to be €475.0 million. Accounting for the fact that almost all land currently afforested is in agriculture, the net total value of this afforestation programme ranged from €157.8 million to €340.4 million, depending on the farming system being replaced and whether stacking of direct payments to farmers under the Single Payment Scheme applies to the land being planted.     

Environmental effects of harvesting forests for energy

Present interest in decreasing U.S. dependence on foreign oil by increasing the use of wood for energy may bring about a change in our forest utilization policies. In the past, forests have been removed in areas believed to be suited for agriculture, or sawtimber and pulp have been the only woody material removed in any quantity from land not generally considered tillable. The new demands on wood for energy are effecting a trend toward (1) removing all woody biomass from harvested areas, (2) increasing the frequency of harvesting second growth forests, and (3) increasing production with biomass plantations. Considering the marginal quality of much of the remaining forested land, the impacts of these modes of production could be significant. For example, it is anticipated that increased losses of nutrients and carbon will occur by direct forest removal and through erosion losses accelerated by forest clearing. There are, however, control measures that can be utilized in minimizing both direct and indirect effects of forest harvesting while maximizing woody biomass production.     

The realisable potential supply of woody biomass from forests in the European Union

Forests are important for providing wood for products and energy and the demand for wood is expected to increase. Our aim was to estimate the potential supply of woody biomass for all uses from the forests in the European Union (EU), while considering multiple environmental, technical and social constraints.The potential woody biomass supply was estimated for the period 2010-2030 for stemwood, residues (branches and harvest losses), stumps and other biomass (woody biomass from early thinnings in young forests). We estimated the theoretical biomass potential from recent, detailed forest inventory data using the EFISCEN model. Constraints reducing the availability of woody biomass were defined and quantified for three mobilisation scenarios (high, medium, low). Finally, the theoretical potentials from EFISCEN were combined with the constraints to assess the realisable potential from EU forests.The realisable potential from stemwood, residues, stumps and other biomass was estimated at 744 million m³ yr⁻¹ overbark in 2010 and could range from 623 to 895 million m³ yr⁻¹ overbark in 2030, depending on the mobilisation scenario. These potentials represented 50-71% of the theoretical potential. Constraints thus significantly reduced the biomass potentials that could be mobilised. Soil productivity appeared to be an important environmental factor when considering the increased use of biomass from forests. Also the attitude of private forest owners towards increased use of forest biomass can have an important effect, although quantifying this is still rather difficult.The analysis showed that it is possible to increase the availability of forest biomass significantly beyond the current level of resource utilisation. Implementing these ambitious scenarios would imply quite drastic changes in forest resource management across Europe.     

Regional effects of a green steel industry – fuel substitution and feedstock competition

Forestry and forest industry sectors have vital roles for many regional economies. Consequently, it is important to understand how the introduction of the iron and steel industry (ISI) as a new large consumer of woody materials may affect existing feedstock markets. The use of metallurgical coal can partially or fully be substituted by refined biomass. To analyze the potential consequences of a new woody consumer on regional markets, three regions in northern Sweden and Finland are used as a case. A regional partial equilibrium model is developed, the Norrbotten County Forest Sector Model (NCFSM), and applied on three different scenarios. The purpose of the study is to analyze the intra- and inter-regional effects increased competition for woody materials may have on regional markets and on the economic well-being of the regions. The result suggest that the total welfare effect is relatively small, however, some regional welfare distributional effects are observed. Additionally, the price of roundwood will only be moderately affected if the ISI sector switch from fossil fuels to refined woody biomass. However, secondary woody materials, i.e. by-products and harvesting residues, will experience larger price shifts.     

平顶山市森林生态系统服务功能评价

采用价值量评估法,把森林生态系统服务功能的价值分成直接经济价值和间接经济价值两部分,根据《森林生态系统服务功能评估规范》的相关规范,对平顶山市森林的生态系统服务功能进行评估。结果表明:平顶山市森林生态系统服务功能总价值为100 704 5.01万元/a,其中直接经济价值为56 545万元/a,占总服务功能价值的5.61%;在间接经济价值中,以涵养水源功能价值所占比例最大,为45.15%;固碳释氧功能占总价值的比例为36.41%;净化大气环境功能价值占5.40%;固土保肥功能价值占7.43%。     

森林病虫害经济损失评估的一种新方法——曲线法

森林病虫害通过危害林木的根、干、枝、叶等组织，使林分蓄积量或生物量遭受损失，从而影响森林生态系统服务功能作用的发挥。本文采用林木生长曲线法估算不同林龄林分蓄积量，通过森林生物量转换因子连续函数法（BEF）实现林分蓄积量与生物量的转换。编制了我国主要森林病虫害危害程度分级表、林分蓄积量年生长损失率表和主要林木生物量转换因子基本常数表，并以马尾松为例拟合出林分蓄积量单木生长曲线。确定了我国森林单位重量生物量生态效益值（K）为1476．2元／t。应用林木生长曲线法和生物量转换因子连续函数法评估森林病虫害经济损失适用性强，准确度高，更能反映我国森林病虫害危害程度的实际状况。     

木质林产品跨境交易下碳储量核算方法比较分析

国际贸易行为使得储存于采伐后木质林产品中的碳汇在各国间发生流动, 又由于对采伐后木质林产品的使用方式和最终用途的差异, 使得产品中碳汇的存续时间出现巨大的差异。如何对国际木质林产品跨境交易下的各国碳储量变化进行全面量化, 合理判断各国基于木质林产品消费方式的差异而对环境所造成的直接或间接影响, 从而明晰全球温室气体减排下各国的责任划分, 具有非常重要的意义。文中根据政府间气候变化专业委员会(IPCC)所提供的4种采伐后木质林产品碳储量核算方法, 分析各国对不同核算方法的立场及其背后的深层原因, 指出我国应该积极开展木质林产品跨境交易下碳储量核算方法的前沿跟踪研究, 以便未来在木质林产品碳汇计量谈判中掌握主动权从而有效维护国家利益。     

森林资源的化学利用

本文阐述了利用森林资源生产化学产品的必要性和重要意义,讨论了作为化工原料的可行性。对化学利用的方法、主要产品及其用途,需要解决的技术问题、利用现状和可能的发展作了简单介绍。针对我国的具体情况,就开展化学利用的研究提出了初步建议。     

木材的全木利用模式及经济学分析

随着生态恶化和能源危机的不断加剧,木质生物质能源的开发和利用逐渐受到人们的青睐.针对我国木材利用现状,提出了全木利用的概念和2套模式,并对全木利用模式的实施进行了必要性论证和可行性分析,着重阐述了木材的生态循环利用措施.     

树皮资源综合利用的途径

树皮资源的潜在利用价值已受到普遍重视。本文主要从化学利用和物理利用两方面综述了国外树皮资源的研究、产品开发和生产发展的现状,介绍了世界上一些森林工业发达国家的树皮综合利用途径和特点,以及我国当前对树皮资源的开发和利用情况。     

大力促进林木生物质成型燃料的产业化发展

我国林业剩余物年总量达10亿t之多,对其加工成林木生物质成型燃料具有巨大的生态、经济和社会效益,本文对林木生物质成型燃料产业化发展的重要意义、可行性和存在的问题进行分析,并提出建议。     

新余市城市森林建设初步效益定量评估

以生物多样性经济价值的科学分类为基础，对新余市城市森林建设而增加的生物多样性经济价值进行定量评估，涉及直接使用价值、间接使用价值和潜在使用价值．定量评估结果，总经济价值为787366万元．     

Utilization of wood cell wall components

This article summarizes current utilizations of wood cell wall components in relation to biorefinery of woody biomass as a separation method of its constituents. Especially, utilization of isolated lignins, involving transformation and molding, are demonstrated with respect to productions of carbon fibers and their further functionalization, such as developments of activated carbon fibers and electrodes for second battery and electric double-layer capacitor.     

Potential forest biomass resource as feedstock for bioenergy and its economic value in Indonesia

Indonesia has abundant forest biomass resource, which should not be considered as a low economic value resource. This forest biomass resource can be converted into bioenergy through various technologies and it becomes one of sources in Indonesia's energy mix. This paper focuses on forest residues generated primarily from the harvesting of natural production forests and industrial forest plantations; and wood processing mill residues. The estimated total potential forest biomass in Indonesia for bioenergy in the year 2013 was 132 PJ. About 50.4% resulted from harvesting residues and 49.6% from wood processing residues. Riau province has the largest potential bioenergy followed by Central Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, East Java, South Sumatera, Central Java and Jambi, which all together accounted for 87% of total potential bioenergy. Moreover, three major islands accounted for 95% of total potential bioenergy. Using a conversion return approach, the economic value of forest biomass when it was pelletized was estimated to be about US$ 5.6 per ton wood residues. The economic value of forest biomass is more sensitive to changes in the price of wood pellet than to changes in the collection and hauling cost of wood residues.     

北京城区园林植物生物量的计测研究

采用平均标准木法,使用全砍称鲜重和干重,对北京城区园林植物主要类型和主要树种的平均生物量进行了研究。鉴于园林植物绿化普查中对植物种类和类型分类的特殊性和复杂性,利用绿化普查资料测算出了北京城区现有园林植物的总生物量。北京市现有园林植物总生物量181.86万t,城八区为129.12万t。为园林植物的生态功能研究以及相关的生态环境评价等提供了基础依据。     

Aboveground biomass estimation of small diameter woody species of tropical dry forest

Estimation of accurate biomass of different forest components is important to estimate their contribution to total carbon stock. There is lack of allometric equations for biomass estimation of woody species at sapling stage in tropical dry forest (TDF), and therefore, the carbon stored in this forest component is ignored. We harvested 46 woody species at sapling stage in a TDF and developed regression models for the biomass estimation of foliage, branch, bole and the total aboveground part. For foliage and branch biomass, the models with only stem diameter as estimator showed greater R ². For bole and aboveground biomass, the models including wood specific gravity or wood density exhibited higher R ² than those without wood density. Also, the model consisting of wood density, stem diameter and height had the lowest standard error of estimate for bole and aboveground biomass. Moreover, the R ² values are very similar among models for each component. The measurement error of height and the use of a standard value of wood density together may introduce more than 2 % error into the models. Therefore, we suggest using diameter-only model, which may be more practical and equally accurate when applied to stands outside our study area.     

木质生物质直接液化研究现状及趋势

木质生物质可以再生利用、能量密度相对较高、易运输和储存, 是实现大规模替代石化燃料的理想生物资源。直接液化是近年来迅速发展起来的一门新兴的生物质能利用技术, 具有反应条件较为温和、反应设备简单、产品可部分生物降解等特点, 发展潜力较大。阐述了木质生物质直接液化的分类, 总结了该技术的国内外研究状况, 探讨了木质生物质直接液化技术的发展趋势。     

Logistics of supplying biomass from a mountain pine beetle-infested forest to a power plant in British Columbia

Abstract

The search for alternative energy sources has increased the interest in forest biomass. During the past few years, the severe infestation of the mountain pine beetle (MPB) within the forests of interior British Columbia (BC) has led to huge volumes of dead wood that exceed the capacity of the lumber industry. One way to make the most value of the surplus wood is to use it as the feedstock for bioenergy. The high costs associated with harvest and transport, and uncertainty in supply logistics are issues related to forest biomass utilization. This paper presents the development of a forest biomass supply logistics simulation model and its application to a case of supplying MPB-killed biomass from Quesnel timber supply area (one of the most infested areas in the interior BC) to a potential 300 MW power plant adjacent to the city of Quesnel. It provides values of quantity, cost and moisture content of biomass which are important factors in feasibility study of bioenergy projects. In the case of a conventional harvesting system, the biomass recovered from roadside residues in 1 year will meet only about 30% of the annual demand of the power plant with an estimated delivered cost of Can $45 per oven-dry tonne of woodchips. Sensitivity analyses were also performed.     

Mapping dead wood distribution in a temperate hardwood forest using high resolution airborne imagery

Dead wood, in the form of coarse woody debris and standing dead wood, or snags, is an essential structural component of forest ecosystems. It plays a key role in nutrient cycling, ecosystem functions and provision of habitat for a wide variety of species. In order to manage dead wood in a temperate hardwood forest, an understanding of its availability and spatial distribution is important. This research evaluates airborne digital camera remote sensing for mapping temperate forest dead wood across an area within Gatineau Park, Canada. Two approaches were evaluated: (1) direct detection and mapping of canopy dead wood (dead branches and tall snags) through the combination of three techniques in a hybrid classification: ISODATA clustering, object-based classification, and spectral unmixing, and (2) indirect modelling of coarse woody debris and snags using spectral and spatial predictor variables extracted from the imagery. Indirect modelling did not provide useful results while direct detection was successful with field validation showing 94% accuracy for detected canopy level dead wood objects (i.e. 94% of validation sites with canopy dead wood were detected correctly) and 90% accuracy for control sites (i.e. 90% of validation sites with no canopy level dead wood were identified correctly). The procedures presented in this paper are repeatable and could be used to monitor dead wood over time, potentially contributing to applications in forest carbon budget estimation, biodiversity management, and forest inventory.     

Quantifying the direct social and governmental costs of illegal logging in the Bolivian,Brazilian, and Peruvian Amazon

Illegal logging is a major threat to the long-term sustainability of the forest resources of much of the Amazon Basin. This threat affects the ability of companies to manage viable forest production and distorts the way in which governments are able to implement forest management regulations at all levels. However, quantitative information about the direct impacts of illegal logging is scarce. We evaluate some of the most relevant impacts of illegal logging to government and society in the Bolivian, Brazilian and Peruvian Amazon. The impacts evaluated are loss of government royalties, missed appropriation of revenues, inefficiency in logging operations, loss of productivity and unemployment. The direct costs of illegal logging in the three countries are estimated at between US$558 to 639 million per year. Unemployment due to Illegal logging, defined as the difference between the employment required for legal and illegal logging, is estimated at 1.2 million person-days per year. The magnitude of these impacts justifies additional investment in control and monitoring mechanisms. Costs of illegal logging would be considerably higher if other impacts and illegal forest activities were quantified.