Effects of Biomass Effects of Biomass Production and Production and Harvesting on Harvesting on

Environmental QualityEnvironmental Quality

Erik B. SchillingErik B. SchillingNational Council for Air & Stream ImprovementNational Council for Air & Stream Improvement

Southern Regional CenterSouthern Regional CenterNewberry, FLNewberry, FL

General FactsGeneral Facts

Currently 32M acres of plantation forests Currently 32M acres of plantation forests in SE USin SE US Predominately Loblolly Pine, lesser extent Predominately Loblolly Pine, lesser extent

Slash PineSlash Pine SE US average growth rate of 5 tons acSE US average growth rate of 5 tons ac-1-1

yryr-1-1

This is much less than many forest plantations This is much less than many forest plantations throughout the worldthroughout the world

Models, field trials, etc. indicate that Models, field trials, etc. indicate that growth rates exceeding 10 tons acgrowth rates exceeding 10 tons ac-1-1 yr yr-1-1 are biologically feasible.are biologically feasible.

Increasing Growth RatesIncreasing Growth Rates GeneticsGenetics

Improve desired ecophysiological traitsImprove desired ecophysiological traits• Leaf area, water and nutrient use efficiency, Leaf area, water and nutrient use efficiency,

etc.etc. FertilizeFertilize Reduce competitionReduce competition

Traditionally, mechanical site preparationTraditionally, mechanical site preparation• Costs can be high, potential for Costs can be high, potential for

environmental impactsenvironmental impacts Today, industry relying heavily on Today, industry relying heavily on

chemical site preparation – herbicideschemical site preparation – herbicides

Soils and SedimentSoils and Sediment

Sediment and Intensive Sediment and Intensive Forestry Forestry Temple Inland Alto Temple Inland Alto

WatershedsWatersheds

McBroom 2005Blackburn et al. 1986

Fertilization, Herbicides and Fertilization, Herbicides and Water QualityWater Quality

Forest FertilizationForest Fertilization

Over 1.5M acres Over 1.5M acres fertilized with P or fertilized with P or N+P in 2002N+P in 2002

Mid-rotation Mid-rotation fertilization (stand fertilization (stand age 8-15 yrs)age 8-15 yrs) 85% of FNC stands 85% of FNC stands

respond to fertilizationrespond to fertilization 150-200 lbs N + 25 lbs 150-200 lbs N + 25 lbs

P acre most commonP acre most common Costs - $100 per acre Costs - $100 per acre

Fox et al. 2006

Forest Fertilization and Water Forest Fertilization and Water QualityQuality

NCASI Technical Bulletin #782 NCASI Technical Bulletin #782 National review of forest fertilization studiesNational review of forest fertilization studies

Forest fertilization commonly leads to Forest fertilization commonly leads to moderate increases in streamwater moderate increases in streamwater nutrient concentrationsnutrient concentrations

Greatest nutrient increases come from:Greatest nutrient increases come from: Direct application to streamsDirect application to streams Ammonium nitrate forms of fertilizerAmmonium nitrate forms of fertilizer Excessive application ratesExcessive application rates Repeated applicationsRepeated applications

Even in these situations, impacts are Even in these situations, impacts are too too smallsmall to degrade water quality to degrade water quality

Carteret 7 StudyCarteret 7 Study Loblolly pine (15-yr-old stand)Loblolly pine (15-yr-old stand)

170 kg N + 28 kg P ha170 kg N + 28 kg P ha-1-1, as urea and DAP, as urea and DAP Ground applicationGround application Nutrient concentrationsNutrient concentrations

• NONO33 increased from 0.6 mg/L to 1.2 mg/L increased from 0.6 mg/L to 1.2 mg/L

• NHNH44 increased from 0.06 mg/L to 3.8 mg/L increased from 0.06 mg/L to 3.8 mg/L

• P increased from 0.04 mg/L to 0.18 mg/LP increased from 0.04 mg/L to 0.18 mg/L Returned to baseline levels ~ 3wksReturned to baseline levels ~ 3wks Important to note that streams were Important to note that streams were

avoidedavoidedCampbell 1989

Why Interest in Herbicides?Why Interest in Herbicides? Herbicide applications

reduce competition for: Light Water Nutrients

Increased productivity Reduce site

preparation costs Questions on the fate

of herbicides: Water quality Aquatics Wildlife

Haywood et al. 2003

Herbicide ResponseHerbicide ResponseTemple Inland Alto WatershedsTemple Inland Alto Watersheds

NCASI 2006

Herbicide ToxicityHerbicide Toxicity

Maximum measured concentrationsMaximum measured concentrations Hexazinone - 30 ppb Hexazinone - 30 ppb Imazapyr - 40 ppb Imazapyr - 40 ppb

Detection levels below 1 ppb Detection levels below 1 ppb generally less than 150 days after generally less than 150 days after applicationapplication

Imazapyr and Hexazinone Imazapyr and Hexazinone Published LCPublished LC5050 values = 10 values = 106 6 ppbppb

NCASI 2006a, NCASI 2006bNCASI 2006a, NCASI 2006b

Watershed Studies in the Watershed Studies in the SouthSouth

Consistent trends observedConsistent trends observed Small, temporary changes in stream hydrology Small, temporary changes in stream hydrology Small, temporary changes in stream water Small, temporary changes in stream water

chemistry following fertilizationchemistry following fertilization Extremely low levels of herbicide residuesExtremely low levels of herbicide residues

Disturbance events can be more Disturbance events can be more significant than ‘intensive’ management significant than ‘intensive’ management prescriptions using fertilization and prescriptions using fertilization and herbicidesherbicides Tropical and summer storm events significant Tropical and summer storm events significant

HarvestingHarvesting

Forestry BMP Efficacy in the SEForestry BMP Efficacy in the SE

Adams & Hook, 1994; Adams et al., 1995; Adams 1998

Vowell, 2001

Arthur et al., 1998

Wynn et al. 2000

McBroom et al. 2003 (TexIS)

Colyell Creek Study

Carroll et al., 2004

Rivenbark & Jackson, 2004

Robinson Forest

SMZ Study

Dry Creek (IP BMP)

Study

VT-MW BMP Study

Keim & Schoenholtz,

1999

Clay, and herbicide transport study

Lobo & Herrmann 1998

Williams et al. 1999

AR BMP Study

Completed studies

Ongoing &/or unpublished

studies

Wang et al., 2004

Clinton and Vose, 2003

Kochenderfer & Edwards 1991;

Kochenderfer et al. 1997

Svecet al., 2005

Ward & Jackson, 2005

Swift, 1986

Governoet al., 2004

Appelboom et al., 2002

LA Tech BMP Study

TX FS study Depressionalwetland BMP study

Flat Creek Study

S. Appalachian buffer width study

Headwater macroinvert. study

Stream bioindex

study

BF Grant Paired Watershed

Study

Overland flow study

Map: Southern Forest Experiment Station and Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. 1969. A Forest Atlas of the South. USDA Forestry Service

Curtis et al. 1990

Adams & Hook, 1994; Adams et al., 1995; Adams 1998

Vowell, 2001

Arthur et al., 1998

Wynn et al. 2000

McBroom et al. 2003 (TexIS)

Colyell Creek Study

Carroll et al., 2004

Rivenbark & Jackson, 2004

Robinson Forest

SMZ Study

Dry Creek (IP BMP)

Study

VT-MW BMP Study

Keim & Schoenholtz,

1999

Clay, and herbicide transport study

Lobo & Herrmann 1998

Williams et al. 1999

AR BMP Study

Completed studies

Ongoing &/or unpublished

studies

Wang et al., 2004

Clinton and Vose, 2003

Kochenderfer & Edwards 1991;

Kochenderfer et al. 1997

Svecet al., 2005

Ward & Jackson, 2005

Swift, 1986

Governoet al., 2004

Appelboom et al., 2002

LA Tech BMP Study

TX FS study Depressionalwetland BMP study

Flat Creek Study

S. Appalachian buffer width study

Headwater macroinvert. study

Stream bioindex

study

BF Grant Paired Watershed

Study

Overland flow study

Map: Southern Forest Experiment Station and Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. 1969. A Forest Atlas of the South. USDA Forestry Service

Curtis et al. 1990

Figure from M. Miwa, International Paper

BMPs Simplified to Five BMPs Simplified to Five PrinciplesPrinciples

Minimize bare ground and soil Minimize bare ground and soil compactioncompaction

Separate bare ground from surface Separate bare ground from surface waterswaters

Separate fertilizer and pesticide Separate fertilizer and pesticide application from surface watersapplication from surface waters

Provide a forested buffer around Provide a forested buffer around streamsstreams

Engineer stable road surfaces and Engineer stable road surfaces and stream crossingsstream crossings

Jackson and Olzewski 2005

Roads and Stream CrossingsRoads and Stream Crossings

Harvesting does not Harvesting does not result in declines in result in declines in environmental qualityenvironmental quality

Soils and WaterSoils and Water Roads & Stream Roads & Stream

CrossingsCrossings are the are the greatest threats to greatest threats to water quality when… water quality when…

BMPs not utilized BMPs not utilized BMPs installed BMPs installed

improperlyimproperly State BMP compliance State BMP compliance

reports point this outreports point this out

Thank You…Thank You…