Developing Best Management Practices &

Incentives for Woody Biomass Harvests in Missouri

 Oak Decline

 INTRODUCTION

Missouri’s forests make up approximately one-third of the land base and approximately 80 percent of this forest is privately owned.  Missouri’s privately owned forests are overgrown with small diameter (6”-12”) trees and there are vast acreages that are sick and dying due to decades of neglect and mismanagement.  Forests in this condition are not attractive to new industry due to their poor quality.  From a forest management perspective there is no incentive to manage these stands because there are no viable markets for small diameter, low value material.  Development of this resource for energy uses has great potential for new markets as well as solving the nation’s energy problems.

 PROJECT SUMMARY

This project is comprised of two phases.  Phase I is the development of a Best Management Practices Manual for Biomass Harvest.  Guided by a statewide committee, it will be modeled after one in Minnesota.  Phase II is a feasibility study which will be done by a private consultant. 

Part One of the feasibility study will focus on investigating public and private incentives to harvest woody biomass in a sustainable manner.  Part Two of the feasibility study will focus on the structure and viability of third party audits to ensure sustainable harvest. 

Deliverables include a printed manual, printed study, and a computer spreadsheet for landowner decision making.

Project Sponsors

 This project is sponsored by the Eastern Ozarks Forestry Council, Big Springs, Bootheel, and Top of the Ozarks RC&D Councils,  Missouri Department of Conservation, and University Extension.

Funding

Funding for the BMP Manual and Feasibility Study is in part through a $88,000 USDA-Forest Service Grant awarded in August 2007 and administered by Top of the Ozarks RC&D Council. 

To Monitor Progress on the BMP Manual Portion of the Project

http://mdc.mo.gov/forest/management/

Final Draft of the BMP Manual