National Association of Conservation Districts

Moving Ahead on Biomass

Now is Time to Act on Biomass,
and Districts are Key Partners

February 2005

Editor’s Note: Conservation districts are being called upon to help implement the Healthy Forest Restoration Act, including commercial utilization of woody biomass generated from fuels reduction efforts. Information on these pages focuses on a key federal memorandum of understanding that helps pave the way for these efforts. Both the USDA Forest Service and US Department of Interior have encouraged their offices to implement woody biomass policy principles outlined in the MOU. Conservation district officials shouldn’t wait to be asked to participate. The message for districts is simple: Contact local federal land managers and express an interest in becoming involved.

Facts on woody biomass

• Between 100 and 200 million acres of America’s federal lands are at risk of catastrophic wildfire. Millions more acres of non-federal lands are also at risk.
• Woody biomass utilization can help reduce or offset the cost and increase the quality of restoration or hazardous fuel reduction treatments.
• USDA, DOI and DOE, the three co-signers of the woody biomass utilization MOU, administer grants that have positive benefits in capacity-building for woody biomass utilization in local communities, industries and on private lands.

Momentum continues to grow in efforts to encourage woody biomass utilization across the country.

Recent developments include a letter issued earlier this year by Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth, instructing staff that it’s time to make woody biomass utilization a priority across the country. The letter was also distributed last month to key partners, including the National Association of Conservation Districts.

Bosworth’s communication mirrors one issued last year by Department of Interior Assistant Secretary Lynn Scarlett.

Both encourage offices across the country to implement policy principles outlined in a 2003 memorandum of understanding signed by the Department of Interior, Department of Energy and Department of Agriculture. The unprecedented MOU pledges cooperation among the departments to achieve the goals of eight policy principles for woody biomass utilization on forests, woodlands and rangelands. (See accompanying list of the policy principles.) The MOU states that “The secretaries support the utilization of woody biomass byproducts from restoration and fuels treatment projects wherever ecologically and economically appropriate and in accordance with the law.” Bosworth’s letter of this year transmitted the MOU for implementation within all offices of the Forest Service. “It is now time for us to act,” he said.

He cited several factors in encouraging heightened activity, including:

• The Healthy Forest Restoration Act, “which gives the USDA Forest Service new tools and increased opportunities to address forest, woodland and rangeland health, as well as protect communities and resources from catastrophic wildfire. Title II of HFRA provides new authorities to encourage the commercial utilization of woody biomass.”
• Increased utilization of woody biomass to meet the nation’s energy needs and support the needs of local rural government are goals of several initiatives, including the National Energy Policy, the National Fire Plan 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy- Implementation Plan led by western governors, and the August 2002 White House report titled “In response to the National Energy Policy Recommendations to Increase Renewable Energy Production on Federal Lands.” Bosworth summed it up this way in his letter: “The message from the president, Congress and the states is clear: Priority should be given to the utilization of woody biomass byproducts from restoration and fuels treatment projects wherever ecologically and economically appropriate.” The MOU demonstrates a commitment to develop and apply consistent and complementary policies and procedures across three federal departments to encourage utilization of woody biomass byproducts from restoration and fuel treatments when ecologically, economically and legally appropriate and consistent with locally developed land management plans. According to Bosworth, the MOU aims to achieve that by:
  
  
• “Communicating to our employees and partners that the harvest and utilization of woody biomass byproducts can be an effective restoration and hazardous fuel reduction tool that delivers economic and environmental benefits and efficiencies.”
  
  
• “Promoting consideration of woody biomass utilization from restoration and fuels treatment instead of burning or other on-site disposal methods.”
  
  
• “Encouraging development of new mechanisms that increase the benefits and efficiencies of woody biomass utilization.”
  

Door is open for district involvement

Policy principles outlined in the federal biomass MOU open the door for conservation district and NACD participation, says a Forest Service biomass energy specialist.

“I think you see in that document and in the principles of MOU the very strong emphasis on communities and collaborations to solve problems on the landscape,” said Fred Deneke, who works in the Cooperative Forestry section of State and Private Forestry. Deneke is also advisor to NACD’s Forest Resource Committee.

The MOU makes specific references to local communities in several sections. It notes that “public assistance and grants programs administered by these three departments have positive benefits in capacity building for woody biomass utilization in local communities, industries and on private lands.” The MOU also notes that woody biomass utilization can have broad positive impacts on resources, many of which concern conservation districts and their partners.

Woody biomass utilization “may result in more diverse forest ecosystems, characterized by native flora and fauna, healthy watersheds, better air quality, improved scenic qualities, more fire-resilient landscapes, and reduced wildfire threats to communities, and may provide an alternative waste management strategy.” The eight principles, Deneke said, “are the keys in terms of how agencies ought to be operating today and working with our publics. If we’re going to do the job, it’s going to be through pretty intensive collaboration with parties and interest groups.

Conservation districts can be a really key partner in terms of reaching out, educating and working with people at the local level.” Districts are key local partners because of the expertise and local resources they bring to the table, he said. “There simply are not enough federal resources to do that work. Any time a conservation district can become involved as partner, it multiplies what we can accomplish.” Deneke’s advice to districts is straightforward: “Do not be bashful. Don’t wait to be asked. I would encourage district officials to very proactively reach out and connect with federal land managers at the local level and ask how they can be of assistance and talk about what they bring to the table.”

Policy principles encourage involvement

A closer look at the MOU’s policy principles shows plenty of room for involvement for conservation districts and NACD.

Some examples follow:

• Principle No. 1 encourages involvement of local communities, interested parties and the general public in the formulation and consideration of woody biomass utilization strategies. Examples of this include communications that further the understanding that implementation of National Fire Plan and the Healthy Forests Initiative goes beyond federal boundaries and affects local communities. Collaborative partnerships and public involvement programs and projects are encouraged, as are efforts to share knowledge and technology with community leaders, business owners and private forest landowners. All of those are fertile areas for conservation district and NACD involvement.
• Principle No. 2 seeks to promote public understanding of the quantity and quality of woody biomass that may be made available from federal lands and neighboring lands of other jurisdiction nationwide. Again, districts can find roles in the examples of potential activity. These include inventories of geographic, transportation and land use designation parameters. Also included are evaluations of woody biomass utilization capability in communities near restoration and fuels reduction areas on federal lands. Still another example for the federal agencies is to assist non-federal partners with assessments of biomass quantity and availability on nonfederal lands. Districts work every day with private forest landowners.
  
• Principle No. 3 seeks to promote public understanding that woody biomass utilization may be an effective tool for restoration and fuels treatment. Examples of activities include emphasizing local efforts directed at woody biomass availability and utilization. Also encouraged is development of strategies for economic development in local and rural communities for valueadded wood products and woody biomass utilization (see photo below).
  
• Principle No. 4 focuses on developing and applying best scientific knowledge in biomass and forest health. Among the examples cited here is assisting state and private non-industrial landowners in using short-rotation cropping systems and developing low-value product markets. Districts can use their outreach and education expertise in this area by coordinating workshops and field trips.
  
  
• Principle No. 7 addresses providing reliable, sustainable woody biomass supplies. Here, federal agencies are encouraged to explore expanded use of contracting authorities and mechanisms for hazardous fuel reduction or restoration treatments. Conservation districts have been encouraged to use one such tool, stewardship contracting, to achieve fuels reduction.

These are some examples of how conservation districts can use their local expertise and credibility to help achieve the goals of the MOU. In the coming months, we’ll continue to highlight successful conservation district work in this area. Contact Forestry Research Specialist Bill Berry at 715/341-9119 or billnick@charter.net if you have a success story to share.

8 Policy Principals of the Biomass MOU

1. Include local communities, interested parties and the general public in the formulation and consideration of woody biomass utilization strategies.

2. Promote public understanding of the quantity and quality of woody biomass available from federal lands and neighboring tribal, state and private forests; as well as nationwide woodlands and rangelands.

3. Promote public understanding that woody biomass utilization can be an effective tool for restoration and fuels treatment projects.

4. Develop and apply the best scientific knowledge pertaining to woody biomass utilization and forest management practices for reducing hazardous fuels and improving forest health.

5. Encourage the sustainable development and stabilization of woody biomass utilization markets.

6. Support Indian tribes, as appropriate, in the development and establishment of woody biomass utilization within tribal communities as a way to create jobs, establish infrastructure and support new economic opportunities.

7. Explore opportunities to provide a reliable sustainable supply of woody biomass.

8. Develop and apply meaningful measures of successful outcomes in woody biomass utilization.

8 Policy Principles of the Biomass MOU