Criteria and indicators for sustainable production of forest biomass for energy Forest legislation, forest certification standards, and recommendations and guidelines for forest fuel extraction and wood ash recycling Inge Stupak M

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Criteria and indicators for sustainable
production of forest biomass for energy Forest
legislation, forest certification standards, and
recommendations and guidelines for forest fuel
extraction and wood ash recyclingInge Stupak
MøllerForest Landscape, DenmarkIEA BIOENERGY
EXCO58 MEETINGSTOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, 3-5 OCTOBER
2006
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WOOD-EN-MAN EU-FP5

• Forest Landscape Denmark Karsten
  Raulund-Rasmussen, Morten Ingerslev, Inge Stupak
  Møller, Ingeborg Callesen, Hans Peter Ravn, Kjeld
  Suadicani.
• Finnish Forest Research Institute Antti
  Asikainen, Karri Pasanen, Dominik Röser,
  Heljä-Sisko Helmisaari, Anna Saarsalmi, Mikko
  Kukkola, Pekka Tamminen.
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Erik
  Karltun, Mats Jonsell, Martin Schrøder, Caroline
  Rothpfeffer.
• Skogforsk, Norway Anders Lunnan, Nicholas
  Clarke, Jørn Lileng.
• Lithuanian Forest Research Institute Remigijus
  Ozolincius, Diana Mizaraite, Iveta Varnagiryte,
  Kestutis Armolaitis, Leonardas Kairiukstis.
• Estonian University of Life Sciences Malle
  Mandre, Henn Pärn, Katri Ots.
• Latvian Forestry Research Institute SILAVA,
  Talis Gaitnieks, Lelde Vilkriste, Aigars
  Indriksons.
• BOKU, Austria Klaus Katzensteiner.

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• How to ensure that the production of forest
  biomass for energy purposes is in line with
  sustainable development?
• What has been done?

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Contents

• Material
• Photos Main debated environmental problems
• Current criteria and indicators (CI)
• legislation
• forest certification
• Recommendations, guidelines, information material
• Do present CI meet the needs for a sustainable
  production of forest biomass for energy?

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Material

• Forest laws and regulations in the Nordic and
  Baltic countries
• PEFC forest certification standards in Europe
• FSC forest certification standards in the Nordic
  and Baltic countries
• Recommendations and guidelines for sustainable
  extraction of forest fuel and wood ash recycling
  (International, Nordic and Baltic countries, UK)
• RecAsh seminar in Karlstad, Sweden, 25-28 Sept.
  2006

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Photo Pekka Tamminen
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Compensation or preservationWood ash recycling

• Wood ash compensates for
• Mineral nutrient removals
• Acidification effects
• Not practically possible to compensate with wood
  ash
• Remote places?
• Wood ash do not compensate for
• Nitrogen
• Organic matter
• Effects of stump harvesting
• Biodiversity, insect pests etc.

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Legislative criteria

• Notification to authorities
• Sweden Forestry act (14)
• Compensation measures
• wood ash recycling and fertilisation
• Prevention of damages by insect pests in stored
  residues

Separate regulation for wood ash recycling to the
forest (Denmark)
Fertilisation with direct effective mineral
fertilisers is prohibited (21, Estonia)
The forest owner or lawful possessor shall obtain
a confirmation from the State Forest Service for
use of artificial fertilisers in forestland (39,
Latvia)
Fertilisation must not contradict the Law on
Environmental Protection and the appropriate
standard acts (14, Lithuania)
Possibility for the Ministry to issue further
regulations concerning fertilisation of forest,
and furthermore, the municipality may refuse
forest owners permission to fertilise if they
find it necessary to prevent major negative
effects on the environmental values (6, Norway).
Common advice to the Forestry Act 30 on
preservation of the nutrient balance and
compensation with wood ash and nitrogen (Sweden).
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Prevention of damages by insect pests- Sweden,
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, (Norway)
Stored Amounts
Dimensions of stored amounts
Distance to living stands
Storage season
Length of storage period
Treatment of the stored material
Coverage of the stored material
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Forest certification documents

• PEFC forest standards (http//www.pefc.org)
• Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark,
  Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Holland,
  Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway,
  Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
  Sweden, Switzerland, UK (not all endorsed).
• FSC forest standards
• Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania,
  (Norway), Sweden

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PEFC criteria (MCPFE Lisbon)

• Criterion 1 Maintenance and Appropriate
  Enhancement of Forest Resources and their
  Contribution to Global Carbon Cycles
• Criterion 2 Maintenance of Forest Ecosystem
  Health and Vitality (damages caused by biotic and
  abiotic agents, changes in soil nutrient balance
  and acidity)
• Criterion 3 Maintenance and Encouragement of
  Productive Functions of Forests (wood and
  non-wood)
• Criterion 4 Maintenance, Conservation and
  Appropriate Enhancement of Biological Diversity
  in Forest Ecosystems
• Criterion 5 Maintenance and appropriate
  enhancement of protective functions in forest
  management (notably soil and water)
• Criterion 6 Maintenance of other Socio-Economic
  Functions and Conditions

• Survey of soil parameters related to soil
  fertility (general)
• Extraction of nutrients and degradation of site
  fertility
• removal of crown material only with a certain
  frequency (Austria, Sweden)
• or when it cannot be avoided (Italy)
• the removal should be considered in relation to
  soil fertility, leaching and deposition (Denmark)
• actions diminishing the growth potential are
  prohibited (Slovenia)
• whole-tree harvesting should not be practiced
  where it is likely to have negative effects
  (United Kingdom).
• national guidelines should be followed (Sweden
  and UK)

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Criterion 2 continuedHealth and vitality

• Fertilisation
• omission if the only purpose is increasing timber
  increment (general)
• accepted in specific situations, e.g.
  restoration, enable regeneration, increase
  vitality in case of a nutritional need documented
  by soil or foliar analyses (Austria, Denmark,
  Germany, Latvia, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden),
• accepted when all aspects of environment
  protection are taken into account (Czech
  Republic).
• wood ash recycling is allowed when performed in
  agreement with national recommendations (Sweden
  and Austria)
• sludge is allowed with certain restrictions
  (Latvia)
• Root rot
• Stump harvesting as a control measure against the
  spreading the infection of fungal diseases from a
  regeneration area (Finland)

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Criterion 3Productive functions

• Intensified harvesting
• the usage levels of products should take proper
  account of the removal of nutrients (Belgium)
• The usage level should not exceed a sustainable
  level (Czech Republic)
• whole-tree harvesting is completely or partly
  prohibited (Germany, Italy, Luxembourg)
• the removal of tops and branches and rotten wood
  for energy purposes as a supplementary harvest
  with considerable environmental benefit due to
  replacement of fossil fuels (Sweden)
• in tending operations, dead wood should be left
  if there is no comprehensive danger (Austria)

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Criterion 4Biodiversity

• Preservation of dead wood
• dead wood of larger dimensions should be left in
  the forest (general)
• also removal of residues should be avoided -
  provided that it is legally permitted to leave
  them due to biotic threats as insect pests
  (Austria and Luxembourg)
• branches left after harvesting should not be
  burned (Switzerland)
• all deadwood should be left untouched - unless
  there is a documented risk of a mass propagation
  of insect pests - with small-size logging residue
  however being excepted (Sweden)

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Criterion 5Protective functions (soil and water)

• Limiting soil preparation (relevant for stump
  harvesting?)
• omit or limit the use of soil preparation
  (Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, Sweden)
• large-scale interventions in the forest soil
  should be avoided (Austria)

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Criterion 6Socio-economics

• Importance of the forest sector in economics
• Proportion of renewable resources (wood, bark,
  etc.) in energy supply as an indicator (Austria)
• .the use of lower-value wood for energy
  purposes should be promoted at the regional
  level as sub-criteria at regional level
  (Slovenia)

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FSC principles

• 1. Compliance with laws and FSC Principles
• 2. Tenure and use rights and responsibilities
• 3. Indigenous peoples' rights
• 4. Community relations and worker's rights
• 5. Benefits from the forest
• 6. Environmental impact
• 7. Management plan
• 8. Monitoring and assessment
• 9. Maintenance of high conservation value forests
• 10. Plantations

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FSC criteria

• 2. Tenure and use rights and responsibilities
• Criteria 2.2 Local communities should maintain
  control over forest operations
• 5. Benefits from the forest
• Criteria 5.2 Optimal use and local processing
• Criteria 5.3 Minimize waste associated with
  harvesting
• 6. Environmental impact
• Criteria 6.3 Ecological functions (biodiversity
  and natural cycles that affect the productivity)
• Criteria 6.5 Written guidelines (control
  erosion, minimize forest damage, and protect
  water resources)
• Criteria 6.6 Environmentally friendly
  non-chemical methods of pest management

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Recommendations guidelinesTopics

• Working environment, health and safety
• Landscape, culture, archaeology, leisure,
  non-wood goods
• Social values, regional development, employment,
  gender
• Production costs and economy
• Markets, sales, competitiveness
• Public participation
• Establishment of energy plants
• Wood firing, combustion, gasification, plant
  operation
• Energy distribution
• Plant emissions, waste production, noise, dust,
  smell etc.
• Wood ash recycling

• Policy, legislation, subsidies, institutional
  frameworks
• Nutrient balances, site fertility and wood
  production
• Acidification
• Organic matter and carbon
• Biodiversity and wildlife
• Pest insects
• Hydrology, water quality, water courses
• Damages by vehicles, soil erosion
• Silviculture
• Harvesting methods and technology, transport,
  logistics
• Processing, handling, storage
• Fuel quality, characteristics, standardisation

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Nutrients and acidification

1. Site classification according to sensitivity to
   forest fuel extraction
2. Share of nutrients left in the single harvesting
   operation
3. Type and number of extractions during the
   rotation
4. Use of compensation fertilisation
5. Spatial distribution of the left residues
6. Time for the nutrient removal and fertiliser
   addition in relation to the season and stand
   development stage
7. Documentation

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Wood ash recycling

1. Purpose of the fertilisation
2. Classification of sites according to suitability
   for wood ash application, including demands on
   soil quality
3. Requirements for wood ash quality
4. Methods for documentation of the wood ash
   quality sampling, chemical analysis, and
   frequency of sampling.
5. Hardening methods
6. Dosage and rate of application
7. Work method, time of application in relation to
   stand development stage and season
8. Need for nitrogen fertilisation
9. Documentation

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Biodiversity
Spare elements important for biodiversity at
various hierarchical levels

1. Nature conservation areas and valuable nature
   types
2. Rare tree species, species especially valuable
   for biodiversity
3. Other tree and bushes left for nature
   conservation purposes, e.g. old trees
4. Standing or lying dead wood and decaying wood in
   different stages of decomposition
5. Harvesting residues
6. Other nature objects as bird nests, anthills, fox
   earths etc.

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Pest insect

1. Recognising exceptional weather conditions
2. Amount and type of material left
3. Location of stored material in relation to living
   trees
4. Storage time and season in relation to swarming
   periods
5. Separate handling of material with different risk
   potentials
6. Coverage the of stored material

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Damage by vehicles
Avoid damages on soil, tree roots, water courses,
and paths by

• Using best possible technology
• Driving when the soil carrying capacity is
  highest
• Using brush mats to increase soil carrying
  capacity
• Restrictions on movements in landscape, terrain,
  and stand
• Use of specialized equipment
• Planning considering the site constraints on
  harvesting at an early stage
• Developing codes of practice for specific sites
  and regions (soil erosion)

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Organic matter

• Preservation - minimizing disturbance
• Herbicides rather than fire and mechanical weed
  control
• Increasing site fertility
• Fertilisation

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Hydrology

• Removal of nitrogen
• Fertilisation to avoid acidification
• Zones around ditches and water courses
  (harvesting, especially stumps, and storage)
• Avoiding stump harvesting in water catchments
• Avoid blocking of drains, minimization of drain
  and stream crossings

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Do CI meet the need for sustainable forest fuel
extraction and wood ash recycling?Recommendations
and guidelines

• Policy, legislation, subsidies, institutional
  frameworks
• Nutrient balances, site fertility and wood
  production
• Acidification
• Organic matter and carbon
• Biodiversity and wildlife
• Pest insects
• Hydrology, water quality, water courses
• Damages by vehicles, soil erosion
• Silviculture
• Harvesting methods and technology, transport,
  logistics
• Processing, handling, storage
• Fuel quality, characteristics, standardisation
• Working environment, health and safety
• Landscape, culture, archaeology, leisure,
  non-wood goods
• Social values, regional development, employment,
  gender
• Production costs and economy
• Markets, sales, competitiveness
• Public participation
• Establishment of energy plants

1. Largely, all relevant generic criteria can be
   found in existing recommendations, guidelines,
   information materials, and certification
   standards
2. Indicators and verifiers are needed for some
   criteria
3. Clarification

1. Reference to other legislation
2. Mapping or local consultation
3. Development of standards, setting threshold
   values
4. Education and information
5. Best available technology, technological
   developments
6. More research as support for political ordering
   of priorities and development of standards
7. Forest-energy policy

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Do CI meet the need for sustainable forest fuel
extraction and wood ash recycling?Recommendations
and guidelines

• Sweden and Finland Criteria and indicators are
  up-to-date. Continuous updates will take place.
• Denmark Criteria and thresholds of
  recommendations and wood ash regulation could be
  updated. Regulation for wood ash recycling is
  currently being updated.
• Lithuania Criteria and thresholds of
  recommendations for wood ash recycling are
  up-to-date. Criteria and thresholds of
  recommendations for forest fuel extraction have
  not been elaborated.
• Other countries First generation recommendations
  and regulations have not been elaborated.

Very variable among countries.
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Do CI meet the need for sustainable forest fuel
extraction and wood ash recycling?Forest
certification

• Criteria and indicators
• more operational
• more systematically incorporated
• Auditing
• more focus on indicators related to forest fuel
  harvesting, cf. UPM Kymmene

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Do CI meet the need for sustainable forest fuel
extraction and wood ash recycling?Policy
Decisions in case of trade-off Forest energy
policy
Negative environmental effect in the forest
Positive environmental effect globally Intensity
of the utilisation
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Do CI meet the need for sustainable forest fuel
extraction and wood ash recycling?Policy

• Implementation at the appropriate level
• Recommendations as in Sweden and Finland?
• Forest certification as suggested by CLEAN-E
  project?
• Other certification (e.g. ISO, EMAS)?
• Legislation and regulations? (e.g.
  uncontaminated wood ash should not be defined as
  hazardous waste, but as a product)

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Recommendations guidelinesReferences

• Sweden
• Egnell G, Nohrstedt H-Ö, Weslien J, Westling O,
  Örlander G. Description of Environmental
  Consequences of forest fuel extraction, wood ash
  amendment and other nutrient compensation. 1998
• Swedish Forest Agency. Forest fuel, threat or
  possibility guidance to an environmentally
  friendly removal of forest fuel. 2001
• Swedish Forest Agency. Recommendations for the
  extraction of forest fuel and compensation
  fertilizing. 2002
• Finland
• Forestry Development Centre Tapio. Extraction of
  energy wood. 2005
• Nurmi J, Kokko A, editors. The effects of
  intensified biomass harvesting in Forest. 2001
• Denmark
• The Forest Agency. Ecological consequences of
  increased biomass utilisation in forests. 1985
• Pedersen LR, Hald S. Wood for energy, wood chips
  and fire wood. 1996
• Centre for Biomass Technology. Wood for Energy
  Production. Technology - Environment Economy.
  2002
• Lithuania
• Ozolincius R, Armolaitis K, Mikšys V, Varnagiryte
  I. Recommendations for wood ash compensation
  fertilizing. 2005
• UK
• Nisbeth T, Dutch J, Moffat A. Whole-tree
  Harvesting A guide to Good Practice. 1997
• British Biogen. Wood Fuel from Forestry and
  Arboriculture the development of a sustainable
  energy production industry. 1999
• Austria
• Splechtna B, Glatzel G. The option to supply
  biomass from forests and energy plantations for
  energy use. Scenarios, ecological effects, and
  research need. 2005
• International