The main purpose of this project was to determine the potential availability of forestry residues for bioenergy generation and other applications on the North Coast of NSW, for three main regional “hubs”: Bulahdelah, Kempsey and Grafton.
The provision of field-based information on residue availability and any potential impacts of extraction support the long-term sustainability of the native forest industry on the NSW north coast.
The dramatic reduction in the demand for pulp logs in the region since 2013 has increased wastage and operational challenges (e.g. increased fuel loads); limited forest management options (by reducing thinning opportunities), and reduced profit margins.
For the purpose of this report the residue available in native forests (public and private) is limited to logs meeting pulp specification only, the bulk of which is currently left in the forest as harvest
residue, though when assessing ecological sustainability all coarse woody debris is considered. We have estimated the available biomass from residues generated from integrated harvest operations which target the production of high-value logs (e.g. sawlogs, poles). For plantations, “pulp logs”, as well as “total residues” (option of in-field chipping) were considered. For sawmills,
all “green” residues were considered potentially available for bioenergy generation.
North Coast Forestry Project – Read the full report here.
