Abstract:
Public and private forest managers, renewable
energy advocates, and community leaders across the United States are increasingly in-
terested in woody biomass for its potential to increase energy independence, mitigate climate change, off-set the costs of hazardous fuels and forest restoration projects, and create opportunities for community-economic development. Woody biomass derived from logging, fuels treatments, and forest products manufacturing can be utilized for heat and electrical energy as well as value-added wood products, although much of the current policy discussion in the United States around biomass has focused on using minimal value biomass for energy purposes.