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Forest Ecosystems 2018, 5(1): 6 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-018-0129-z
Research | Open Access | Issue | Published: 05 March 2018

Estimating potential harvestable biomass for bioenergy from sustainably managed private native forests in Southeast Queensland, Australia

Show Author's Information Michael R. Ngugi1 ( ),  Victor J. Neldner1,  Sean Ryan2,  Tom Lewis3,  Jiaorong Li1,  Phillip Norman4,  Michelle Mogilski5
Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Herbarium, Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong, Qld 4066, Australia
Private Forestry Service Queensland, 8 Fraser Rd, Gympie, Qld 4570, Australia
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, University of Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Qld 4556, Australia
Department of Environment and Science, Soil and Land Resources, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, Qld 4102, Australia
University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia
Keywords:
Renewable energy, Forest biomass, Woody biomass, Native forests, Silvicultural management, Biomass retention, Biobased
Cite this article:
Ngugi MR, Neldner VJ, Ryan S, et al. Estimating potential harvestable biomass for bioenergy from sustainably managed private native forests in Southeast Queensland, Australia. Forest Ecosystems, 2018, 5(1): 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-018-0129-z
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Abstract Full text About this article
Background

Australia's energy future is at the crossroads and the role of renewable sources is in focus. Biomass from sustainably managed forests provide a significant opportunity for electricity and heat generation and production of liquid fuels. Australia has extensive native forests of which a significant proportion are on private land. However, there is limited knowledge on the potential capacity of this resource to contribute to the expansion of a biomass for bioenergy industry. In addition, there are concerns on how to reconcile biomass harvesting with environmental protection.

Methods

We used regional ecosystem vegetation mapping for Queensland to stratify harvestable forests within the 1.8 m hectares of private native forests present in the Southeast Queensland bioregion in 2014. We used a dataset of 52, 620 individual tree measurements from 541 forest inventory plots collected over the last 10 years. Tree biomass was estimated using current biomass allometric equations for Australia. Biomass potentially available from selective sawlog harvesting and silvicultural treatment across the bioregion was calculated and mapped.

Results

Current sawlog harvesting extracts 41.4% of the standing tree biomass and a biomass for bioenergy harvest would retain on average 36% of felled tree biomass on site for the protection of environmental and fauna habitat values. The estimated area extent of harvestable private native forests in the bioregion in 2013 was 888, 000 ha and estimated available biomass for bioenergy in living trees was 13.6 million tonnes (t). The spotted gum (Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata) forests were the most extensive, covering an area of 379, 823 ha and with a biomass for bioenergy yield of 14.2 t·ha-1 (with approximately 11.2 t·ha-1 of the biomass harvested from silvicultural thinning and 3 t·ha-1 recovered from sawlog harvest residual).

Conclusions

Silvicultural treatment of private native forests in the Southeast Queensland bioregion, has the capacity to supply a large quantity of biomass for bioenergy. The availability of a biomass for bioenergy market, and integration of sawlog harvesting and silvicultural treatment operations, could provide land owners with additional commercial incentive to improve the management of private native forests. This could potentially promote restoration of degraded forests, ecological sustainability and continued provision of wood products.


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About this article

Estimating potential harvestable biomass for bioenergy from sustainably managed private native forests in Southeast Queensland, Australia

Show Author's information Michael R. Ngugi1 ( ), Victor J. Neldner1, Sean Ryan2, Tom Lewis3, Jiaorong Li1, Phillip Norman4, Michelle Mogilski5
Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Herbarium, Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong, Qld 4066, Australia
Private Forestry Service Queensland, 8 Fraser Rd, Gympie, Qld 4570, Australia
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, University of Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Qld 4556, Australia
Department of Environment and Science, Soil and Land Resources, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, Qld 4102, Australia
University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia

Abstract

Background

Australia's energy future is at the crossroads and the role of renewable sources is in focus. Biomass from sustainably managed forests provide a significant opportunity for electricity and heat generation and production of liquid fuels. Australia has extensive native forests of which a significant proportion are on private land. However, there is limited knowledge on the potential capacity of this resource to contribute to the expansion of a biomass for bioenergy industry. In addition, there are concerns on how to reconcile biomass harvesting with environmental protection.

Methods

We used regional ecosystem vegetation mapping for Queensland to stratify harvestable forests within the 1.8 m hectares of private native forests present in the Southeast Queensland bioregion in 2014. We used a dataset of 52, 620 individual tree measurements from 541 forest inventory plots collected over the last 10 years. Tree biomass was estimated using current biomass allometric equations for Australia. Biomass potentially available from selective sawlog harvesting and silvicultural treatment across the bioregion was calculated and mapped.

Results

Current sawlog harvesting extracts 41.4% of the standing tree biomass and a biomass for bioenergy harvest would retain on average 36% of felled tree biomass on site for the protection of environmental and fauna habitat values. The estimated area extent of harvestable private native forests in the bioregion in 2013 was 888, 000 ha and estimated available biomass for bioenergy in living trees was 13.6 million tonnes (t). The spotted gum (Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata) forests were the most extensive, covering an area of 379, 823 ha and with a biomass for bioenergy yield of 14.2 t·ha-1 (with approximately 11.2 t·ha-1 of the biomass harvested from silvicultural thinning and 3 t·ha-1 recovered from sawlog harvest residual).

Conclusions

Silvicultural treatment of private native forests in the Southeast Queensland bioregion, has the capacity to supply a large quantity of biomass for bioenergy. The availability of a biomass for bioenergy market, and integration of sawlog harvesting and silvicultural treatment operations, could provide land owners with additional commercial incentive to improve the management of private native forests. This could potentially promote restoration of degraded forests, ecological sustainability and continued provision of wood products.

Keywords: Renewable energy, Forest biomass, Woody biomass, Native forests, Silvicultural management, Biomass retention, Biobased

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Publication history
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Publication history

Received: 28 July 2017
Accepted: 02 January 2018
Published: 05 March 2018
Issue date: March 2018

Copyright

© The Author(s) 2018.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

The private native forest's inventory data used for this study were supplied by Sean Ryan from Private Forestry Service Queensland (PFSQ) and Tom Lewis from Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF). The Queensland Herbarium (QH) supplied thinning dataset obtained from crown owned native forest estate. The assistance provided by Kelly Bryant from ABBA is acknowledged. Thanks to Laura Simmons (QH) and David Menzies (PFSQ) for assistance with data management. Suggestions from Arnon Accad, Gordon Guymer and Don Butler (QH), and Fabiano Ximenes (DPI, NSW) are acknowledged. Study review, edits and suggestions by Geoff Smith (QH) and Kerrie Catchpoole (DAF) are acknowledged.

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