Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About TPO and Biomass Todd Morgan – University of Montana James Bentley, Ron Piva, Chris Woodall – FIA Biomass/Bioenergy Workshop February 24th 2010

What is TPO? TPO is the part of FIA that provides information on removals for timber products, timber processors, logging residue, and mill residue. Accomplished with: Logging utilization studies Mill surveys Firewood and other studies P2 data As most of you are probably aware, TPO is… And we accomplish these tasks primarily by… Mill surveys or censuses In the South & North with plot data And Logging utilization studies

Areas of interest: Forest Logging utilization studies Timber product & logging residue portions of removals Felled tree size, species, & un/used proportions Equipment & operator characteristics Facility Mill studies Volume, species, owner, & other characteristics of wood received for industrial use Facility location, size, & other characteristics Any facility using roundwood or chipped logs

Current Situation North: No FIA logging utilization studies since 1990s (sporadic FS/university studies – 1 or 2 states) States on 3 & 5-year cycles (mill surveys) Annual pulpwood & composite mill surveys South: Current logging utilization (2005-today) 13 states States on 1, 2, or 3-year cycle (mill surveys) Annual pulpwood mill surveys West: Periodic logging utilization (2002-current) 3 states States on 2 or 5-year cycles (mill surveys including pulpwood & composite)

Current Situation - facilities Biomass energy & other rare or emerging facility types currently captured during “mill” censuses, if: Use roundwood Use primary mill residue (west) Actually operating

Current Situation Logging utilization studies: Recent results indicate substantial changes in utilization since 1980s & 1990s. South and West use very similar methodologies. South has new data recorder (MIDAS architecture) – national capabilities.

Softwood Stem Sections Sawtimber Tree (dbh ≥ 9.0 inches) Poletimber Tree (5.0 - 8.9 inches dbh) Top 4 inches dob Top This figure shows the growing-stock vs. non-growing stock portions of softwood trees—as defined by the USFS FIA Program. G.S. is the focus of the logging utilization studies, where we develop factors that will quantify the impact of harvest activities on G.S. volume. GROWING STOCK: the portion of (live trees at least 5.0” DBH) from a 1’ stump to a 4.0” DOB. NON-GROWING STOCK: includes parts of live trees (at least 5.0” DBH), below the 1’ stump and above the 4” top, including minor limbs. Growing-stock volume (ft3) 4 inches dob Growing-stock volume (ft3) 1-foot stump

Current Situation – Complications Reporting: Lack of control over data collection Too few (<3) facilities/firms to report as stand-alone product Survey cycle length – here today gone tomorrow Sufficient database structure to handle emerging products Antiquated terminology

Discussion Topics What are your biomass-related TPO questions? What do you need that TPO does not produce? What are your suggestions for TPO? TPO incorporated into NIMS Units of measure Terminology Etc.