Estimating potential harvestable biomass for bioenergy from sustainably managed private native forests in Southeast Queensland, Australia
Abstract Background Australia’s energy future is at the crossroads and the role of renewable sources is in focus. Biomass from sustainably managed forests provide a significant opportunity for electricity and heat generation and production of liquid fuels. Australia has extensive native forests of w...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2018-03-01
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| Series: | Forest Ecosystems |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40663-018-0129-z |
| _version_ | 1797965472690339840 |
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| author | Michael R. Ngugi Victor J. Neldner Sean Ryan Tom Lewis Jiaorong Li Phillip Norman Michelle Mogilski |
| author_facet | Michael R. Ngugi Victor J. Neldner Sean Ryan Tom Lewis Jiaorong Li Phillip Norman Michelle Mogilski |
| author_sort | Michael R. Ngugi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Australia’s energy future is at the crossroads and the role of renewable sources is in focus. Biomass from sustainably managed forests provide a significant opportunity for electricity and heat generation and production of liquid fuels. Australia has extensive native forests of which a significant proportion are on private land. However, there is limited knowledge on the potential capacity of this resource to contribute to the expansion of a biomass for bioenergy industry. In addition, there are concerns on how to reconcile biomass harvesting with environmental protection. Methods We used regional ecosystem vegetation mapping for Queensland to stratify harvestable forests within the 1.8 m hectares of private native forests present in the Southeast Queensland bioregion in 2014. We used a dataset of 52,620 individual tree measurements from 541 forest inventory plots collected over the last 10 years. Tree biomass was estimated using current biomass allometric equations for Australia. Biomass potentially available from selective sawlog harvesting and silvicultural treatment across the bioregion was calculated and mapped. Results Current sawlog harvesting extracts 41.4% of the standing tree biomass and a biomass for bioenergy harvest would retain on average 36% of felled tree biomass on site for the protection of environmental and fauna habitat values. The estimated area extent of harvestable private native forests in the bioregion in 2013 was 888,000 ha and estimated available biomass for bioenergy in living trees was 13.6 million tonnes (t). The spotted gum (Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata) forests were the most extensive, covering an area of 379,823 ha and with a biomass for bioenergy yield of 14.2 t∙ha−1 (with approximately 11.2 t∙ha−1 of the biomass harvested from silvicultural thinning and 3 t∙ha−1 recovered from sawlog harvest residual). Conclusions Silvicultural treatment of private native forests in the Southeast Queensland bioregion, has the capacity to supply a large quantity of biomass for bioenergy. The availability of a biomass for bioenergy market, and integration of sawlog harvesting and silvicultural treatment operations, could provide land owners with additional commercial incentive to improve the management of private native forests. This could potentially promote restoration of degraded forests, ecological sustainability and continued provision of wood products. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T02:00:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-366e7326cb6442f8a2f117066521a970 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2197-5620 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T02:00:29Z |
| publishDate | 2018-03-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forest Ecosystems |
| spelling | doaj.art-366e7326cb6442f8a2f117066521a9702023-01-03T04:12:30ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Forest Ecosystems2197-56202018-03-015111510.1186/s40663-018-0129-zEstimating potential harvestable biomass for bioenergy from sustainably managed private native forests in Southeast Queensland, AustraliaMichael R. Ngugi0Victor J. Neldner1Sean Ryan2Tom Lewis3Jiaorong Li4Phillip Norman5Michelle Mogilski6Department of Environment and Science, Queensland HerbariumDepartment of Environment and Science, Queensland HerbariumPrivate Forestry Service QueenslandDepartment of Agriculture and Fisheries, University of Sunshine CoastDepartment of Environment and Science, Queensland HerbariumDepartment of Environment and Science, Soil and Land ResourcesUniversity of QueenslandAbstract Background Australia’s energy future is at the crossroads and the role of renewable sources is in focus. Biomass from sustainably managed forests provide a significant opportunity for electricity and heat generation and production of liquid fuels. Australia has extensive native forests of which a significant proportion are on private land. However, there is limited knowledge on the potential capacity of this resource to contribute to the expansion of a biomass for bioenergy industry. In addition, there are concerns on how to reconcile biomass harvesting with environmental protection. Methods We used regional ecosystem vegetation mapping for Queensland to stratify harvestable forests within the 1.8 m hectares of private native forests present in the Southeast Queensland bioregion in 2014. We used a dataset of 52,620 individual tree measurements from 541 forest inventory plots collected over the last 10 years. Tree biomass was estimated using current biomass allometric equations for Australia. Biomass potentially available from selective sawlog harvesting and silvicultural treatment across the bioregion was calculated and mapped. Results Current sawlog harvesting extracts 41.4% of the standing tree biomass and a biomass for bioenergy harvest would retain on average 36% of felled tree biomass on site for the protection of environmental and fauna habitat values. The estimated area extent of harvestable private native forests in the bioregion in 2013 was 888,000 ha and estimated available biomass for bioenergy in living trees was 13.6 million tonnes (t). The spotted gum (Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata) forests were the most extensive, covering an area of 379,823 ha and with a biomass for bioenergy yield of 14.2 t∙ha−1 (with approximately 11.2 t∙ha−1 of the biomass harvested from silvicultural thinning and 3 t∙ha−1 recovered from sawlog harvest residual). Conclusions Silvicultural treatment of private native forests in the Southeast Queensland bioregion, has the capacity to supply a large quantity of biomass for bioenergy. The availability of a biomass for bioenergy market, and integration of sawlog harvesting and silvicultural treatment operations, could provide land owners with additional commercial incentive to improve the management of private native forests. This could potentially promote restoration of degraded forests, ecological sustainability and continued provision of wood products.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40663-018-0129-zRenewable energyForest biomassWoody biomassNative forestsSilvicultural managementBiomass retention |
| spellingShingle | Michael R. Ngugi Victor J. Neldner Sean Ryan Tom Lewis Jiaorong Li Phillip Norman Michelle Mogilski Estimating potential harvestable biomass for bioenergy from sustainably managed private native forests in Southeast Queensland, Australia Forest Ecosystems Renewable energy Forest biomass Woody biomass Native forests Silvicultural management Biomass retention |
| title | Estimating potential harvestable biomass for bioenergy from sustainably managed private native forests in Southeast Queensland, Australia |
| title_full | Estimating potential harvestable biomass for bioenergy from sustainably managed private native forests in Southeast Queensland, Australia |
| title_fullStr | Estimating potential harvestable biomass for bioenergy from sustainably managed private native forests in Southeast Queensland, Australia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimating potential harvestable biomass for bioenergy from sustainably managed private native forests in Southeast Queensland, Australia |
| title_short | Estimating potential harvestable biomass for bioenergy from sustainably managed private native forests in Southeast Queensland, Australia |
| title_sort | estimating potential harvestable biomass for bioenergy from sustainably managed private native forests in southeast queensland australia |
| topic | Renewable energy Forest biomass Woody biomass Native forests Silvicultural management Biomass retention |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40663-018-0129-z |
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