Following is a briefing of this Study as it relates to our Kittitas (Cle Elum) Biomas Accessibility study project.
By Elaine Oneil, Bruce Lippke
Oct, 2009 –
Key Points:
- “Field measurements update prior logging residue studies …. as they inform biomass estimates and provide specific information needed to model biomass availability at the sub-region scale. Post – harvest forest residual estimators …. Will provide entrepreneurs, policy makers …..ability to more accurately predict …forest biomass available following silvicultural activities” [ p. 31]
- “…. Pre-harvest inventory data was (is) not a reliable predictor of harvest rate or recoverable biomass, ….” [p.25]
I will not go into the field study details (conducted in NE WA sub-region) or the FVS (forest vegetation simulator) details.
Following are their results – Potentially recoverable residual biomass by sub region, by owner group.
[Note 1: Total recoverable biomass for all of E. WA sub-regions and owner groups is 1.25 MM dry tons/year, (p. 25). I will only show sub-regions relevant to the Kittitas project [Yakima & Wenatchee sub-regions] and only show total harvest and recoverable dry tons of residuals, by owner group.]
[Note 2: Private & tribal timber supply estimates come from 2007 timber supply estimates for E. WA. State Trust land timber supply estimate is from historic harvest rates. Federal is from 1994-2003 harvest rate (p. 24) ]
This data is from Table 8 on p. 24
| Average Harvest and potentially recoverable residual forest biomass
Private and Tribal Lands |
|||
| Sub-Region | Total
MBF/year |
Recoverable dry tons of residuals | Comments |
| Wenatchee | 121,600 | 169,936 | |
| Yakima | 228,733 | 319,655 | Tribal will be a significant portion; Post Western Pacific- DNR Land Exchange ? |
| Total these 2 sub-regions | 350,333 | 489,591 | |
This data is from Table 9 on p. 25 [note different sub-region designator ??]
| Average Harvest and potentially recoverable residual forest biomass
State Trust Lands |
|||
| Sub-Region | Total
MBF/year |
Recoverable dry tons of residuals | Comments |
| East Cascades | 53,217 | 74, 371 | Post Western Pacific – DNR Land exchange ? |
This data is from Table 10 on p. 25
| Average Harvest and potentially recoverable residual forest biomass
Federal Lands |
|||
| Sub-Region | Total
MBF/year |
Recoverable dry tons of residuals | Comments |
| East Cascades | 43,254 | 60,447 | |
This Table is a Sum of the above three tables
| Average Harvest and potentially recoverable residual forest biomass
Private, Tribal , State Trust , Federal Lands. |
|||
| Sub-Region | Total
MBF/year |
Recoverable dry tons of residuals | Comments |
| All tributary to CE | 446,804 | 624,409 | |
Discussion –
The sub-region designator question and the Western Pacific-DNR Land Exchange question notwithstanding, it appears to me that we could ask Oneil and Lippke if they could refine their data to the Yakima and Wenatchee basins (roughly < 100 miles), exclude tribal and include cost estimates per the examples/assumptions in their report.
My opinion is, with these refinements a study will show we can readily source at 12,000 BDT/year within an economically viable working circle.
Phil Hess
2-24-2011
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