1. Biomass in the Yukon Myles H Thorp RPF Executive Director
Yukon Wood Products Association

2. Yukon Wood Products Association
The Yukon Wood Products Association (YWPA) is a non-profit society formed in 2007 to represent Wood Products industry in the Yukon
We are unique because we are a local grassroots association with strong commitments to the communities we live and work in.
Our membership is committed to an economically viable forest industry that promotes healthy forests and sound forest management regimes

3. Mission Statement
Be the voice of the forest industry in the Yukon. The association works with all levels of Government, stakeholders, fellow members and the public to advance a strong and viable forest industry,
The YWPA will represent its members in policy development with all levels of Government, (regulation streamling and biomass strategy)

4. Mission cont’d
The YWPA will be the forest industry representative at public forums such as land use planning commissions, forest resource management planning and any other forum that affects the association and its members,
The association will promote effective communications throughout its membership, stakeholders, and Governments.

5. Biomass perspectives Four things to think about: Where we have been
Influences for success
Where to from here
A little bit about climate change

6. Where we’ve Been The OLD is becoming The NEW

7. The clearcut

8. note regenerated tree to right

9. Influences for Success what government does
At Devolution on April 1, 2003 Forest Management came under Territorial control and management
Pre devolution Forest Management was done under the authority of a regulation attached to the Federal Lands Act
Clearly inadequate for a modern forest management regime and the social expectations for forest management in the 21st century

10. Governments: Create certainty for industry and citizens alike
By making forest management policy
2011 Forest Resources Act
Planning = consultation processes
AAC Determinations and TSA
Authorizations (licenses and permits)
Stumpage and fees
Compliance and enforcement (rules)

11. Consultation and Planning
Planning Level
Strategic
Forest Resource Management Plans
Broad strategic direction; at the Traditional Territory scale
Tactical
Landscape and Timber Harvesting Plans
Planning at the watershed level shows where cut blocks and roads will be located in the context of other values
Operational Prescriptions
Site plans,
Resource harvesting blocks and personal use areas,
Specific to resource harvesting units. (cut block)
Outlines soil conservation, reforestation, season of harvesting etc.
Planning is consultation forest resources is all forest resources

12. FRA brings Regime certainty
regime uncertainty is more than normal business investment uncertainty
Planning identifies (If forestry - where)
Provides for success in YESAA reviews (mitigations and sustainability)
Provides social acceptance of Annual Allowable Cuts (how much)
Provides access to resources with certainty that feed stock (timber) is available and accessible (rules and certainty)
Provides certainty to citizens of the Yukon that rules will be obeyed and there are consequences for breaking them (enforcement)

13. Where are we headed
Three Forest Resource Management Plans approved: Haines Junction, Teslin and Dawson
Whitehorse Southern Lakes FRMP is underway with Three First Nations and FMB
AAC completed in Teslin (25,000 m3) and AAC process in HJ
CAFN developing forest policy and legislation for settlement lands

14. Biomass Strategy Adopted in February 2016
$60,000, spent on fuel and electricity for heat
75% or $50,000, on imported fossil fuels for heat
The forest industry in Yukon is a biomass energy industry

15. 1999 Yukon Housing Survey House Heating in Whitehorse
Southern Lakes Region
Per cent
Households
Wood primary heating fuel
15.7%
1,339
Pellets primary heating fuel
0.6% 52
Wood secondary heating fuel
17.9%
1,526
Pellets secondary heating fuel
1.4%
119
(In 2012 there were 11,000 households identified )
100.0%
8,540

16. Fuel/energy source
Units per GJ
Efficiency
Price
Cost/GJ
Wood
0.053 cords/GJ
About 7 ft3
60%
$275/cord
$24.51
Electricity
277.8 kWh/GJ
100%
$0.15/kWh
$41.67
Fuel Oil
26.2 litres/GJ
About 7 gallons
80%
$1.10/litre
$35.99

17. Harvesting authorizations
District and Who
Number of tenures
Cubic meters or Cords
Whitehorse
Personal Use
Commercial Fox Lake
889 24
12,139m3 or 5,353 cords
5,302m3 or 2,305 cords
Haines Junction
Commercial
259 43
3,774 m3 or 1,665 cords
30,330 m3 or 13,345 cords
Totals
1,215
51,545m3 or 22,668 cords

18. Why Optimistic about the future
Wood is a renewable, sustainable and carbon neutral source of energy
Harvesting it creates local jobs, contribute to the economy
Lower cost and stable cost fuel for energy production
Demand for biomass is growing
Reduces dependence on imported fossil fuels

19. Optimism cont’d
Wood chip boilers next step towards energy independence in the Yukon
There are YWPA members working on combined heat and power systems for Watson Lake right now

20. Done differently now In 1938 the industry was labour intensive

21. 2015 Hurlburt Firewood decks and distribution yard

22. Log processing and splitting

25. Today: We can and do receive licenses to harvest
Potential for long term tenures (10+ 10yrs)
This provides certainty that we can deliver the wood/biomass
These are jobs in the Yukon
Estimate about 86 commercial operators in the Territory about 65 in the Whitehorse market

26. Today cont’d The Market is growing and will continue to grow
Because it is renewable and carbon neutral
Cheaper in the long term
Today we can deliver the firewood in quantity, the next level of diversification will be providing manufactured wood chips for heat and electricity

31. Market Diversification

32. In closing some thoughts about Climate Change

33. Climate effects

34. The reset is coming
Whitehorse is surrounded by old forest ready for reset
Fire hazard risk management critical in warmer dryer climate
Large scale hazard reduction required
The biomass removed needs a home (cordwood and chips)

37. 10 minutes

38. Whitehorse Clearcut in 1930’s to 50’s

39. What the forest looked like 50 years ago

40. Summary Biomass use has been around in Yukon for a long time
Forest are ecologically resilient to disturbance
Fire, wind, insects, logging
New Forest Resources Act and Biomass strategy. Provide regime certainty
Demand for wood/biomass is growing

41. Summary cont’d Future is for more heat and some electricity from wood
Climate is changing and we have a renewable, carbon neutral source of energy in the Yukon
Carbon capture cycle already started in our second growth logged forests along the Yukon River
We will reduce fossil fuel dependence and contribute to reduce carbon emissions

42. Thank you for listening