Increasing Mass Timber Consumption in the U.S. and Sustainable Timber Supply

Mass timber products are growing in popularity as a substitute for steel and concrete, reducing embodied carbon in the built environment. This trend has raised questions about the sustainability of the U.S. timber supply. Our research addresses concerns that rising demand for mass timber products may result in unsustainable levels of harvesting in coniferous forests in the United States. Using U.S. Department of Agriculture U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data, incremental U.S. softwood (coniferous) timber harvests were projected to supply a high-volume estimate of mass timber and dimensional lumber consumption in 2035. Growth in reserve forests and riparian zones was excluded, and low confidence intervals were used for timber growth estimates, compared with high confidence intervals for harvest and consumption estimates. Results were considered for the U.S. in total and by three geographic regions (North, South, and West). In total, forest inventory growth in America exceeds timber harvests including incremental mass timber volumes. Even the most optimistic projections of mass timber growth will not exceed the lowest expected annual increases in the nation’s harvestable coniferous timber inventory.

Forest succession, management and the economy under a changing climate: coupling economic and forest management models to assess impacts and adaptation options

Climate change is expected to have significant impacts on forests by affecting the successional dynamics of tree species and the performance of plantations, among others. Research is needed to better understand how these factors will affect forests and economies in different regions, and how we can best adapt. To shed some light on these issues, we couple an economic (Computable General Equilibrium) model with a forest management (Woodstock) model to analyze the potential climate change impacts and adaptation options on timber supply and the economy over the 2015-95 period in a case-study province of New Brunswick, Canada. We estimate that climate change may have relatively large negative impacts on softwood timber supply (at 26% by 2095), softwood forestry & logging sector output quantity (at 12% by 2095), and softwood-dependent forestry manufacturing sector output (ranging from 6% to 27% by 2095). Negative impacts on GDP may be relatively smaller (at up to a 0.33% reduction by 2095). Adapting to these climate-related changes by planting drought-resistant softwood seedlings or hardwood seedlings in place of failed softwood plantations can reduce these negative impacts. While the former adaptation option is supported using cost-benefit analysis, the latter is not – due to the large incremental costs of growing, planting, and tending hardwood seedlings. Methods developed in this study can be applied in other regions to help guide decision-making around forest management in the face of a changing climate.

Geographical spatial distribution and productivity dynamic change of eucalyptus plantations in China

The Eucalyptus spp. is fast-growing and is usually harvested at a young age, which enables efficient and sufficient timber supply. However, its negative impact on soil fertility incurs wide debates. Therefore it is necessary to study on the growing traits of eucalytpus to provide scientific guidance on its plantation management and associated policy-making. In this study, we collected the sample plot data from 9 National Forest Inventories (NFIs) during 1973–2018, China Forest-Land Database Map in 2003 and 2016, as well as climate and elevation data and analyzed how the spatial distribution of eucalyptus plantations in China changes with time. We quantitatively characterized and evaluated the productivity, carbon accumulation capacity, and abandonment rate of eucalyptus plantations. Statistical models on how eucalyptus productivity and abandonment rate change with time are established to evaluate the soil fertility and feasibility for growing eucalyptus plantations and predict the temporal productivity variation. The results show that regions with annual mean temperature of 19–21 °C, annual precipitation of 1400–1600 mm, and elevation of 0–300 m above sea level is most suitable for the growth of eucalyptus. The annual mean productivity of eucalyptus plantations ranges from 4.14–8.57 m3 hm−2 a−1. Higher productivity (9.32–10.88 m3 hm−2 a−1) could be reached in newly cultivated lands. Based on data from the 9th inventory (2014–2018), the mean carbon fixation of eucalyptus is 5.29 t hm−2 a−1, which is 2.95 and 2.18 times greater than Pinus massoniana Lamb. and Cunninghamia lanceolata Lamb. Its plantations area accounts for 6.85% of total plantations in China, but it contributes to more than 17.96% of total annual cut from plantations. In Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, areas of eucalyptus plantations are 30.32% and 34.91% of the total plantation area in each province respectively, but eucalyptus plantations contribute to 66.29% and 49.97% of harvested timber stock volume Eucalyptus pla consumes soil fertility significantly. The cumulative abandonment rate (based on area) is about 25%, 50%, and 75% after 5, 10, and 20 years of growing eucalyptus, respectively. The soil fertility decreases significantly after 50 years of growing eucalyptus continuously. In such case, it is difficult to restore the soil fertility. It is suggested that with improved management measures such as proper crop rotation rotating crops properly, it is possible for the abandoned plantations to be reused for growing eucalyptus. Currently the rates of replanting eucalyptus are still below 20% and 30% after 20 and 50 years of without growing eucalyptus, respectively. Although the proportion of eucalyptus area replanted to its abandoned area is now less than 20% in 20 years and less than 30% in 50 years, there is potential to keep increasing the replanting rate. We argue that developing eucalyptus plantations could contribute to global timber supply, help to protect natural forests, increase global carbon storage and fixation, and help to slow down global warming. In conclusion, we should not stop growing eucalyptus despite its high consumption of soil fertility.

Economic impacts of partial harvesting: Mitigating mid-term timber supply shortages as a result of pest outbreaks

Natural disturbances such as pest outbreaks have a significant impact on forest dynamics and services, including the loss of mature stands. From a wood production perspective, these disturbances can lead to long-lasting imbalances in the overall age-class structure of the forest, potentially resulting in a shortage of mature harvestable stands. Researchers from Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Canadian Forest Service (CFS) have made a timber supply analysis of the Dunière forest located in the centre of the Gaspé Peninsula (Québec). This region suffers from an age-class structure imbalance caused by an eastern spruce budworm (ESB) outbreak that ended in 1984, and is consequently facing a reduced annual allowable cut, leading to long- term implications for the regional forest sector. The authors suggest that partial harvesting – the removal of a proportion of timber in a mature stand several years before a final cut is carried out – is a promising opportunity in the ESB-affected area for mitigating mid-term timber supply shortages by smoothing the fibre supply over time.

Laws, Markets, and Local Politics Drive Outcomes of Minnesota’s County Managed Forests

There are frequently calls to increase local government control over forests in the US. Minnesota’s county forests contain approximately 30% of all local-government-managed forests in the United States. These forests are managed in ways that protect public access while providing a stable timber supply to mills. This happens because of the intersection of law, markets, and local politics. County forests are legally obligated to provide revenue to local tax districts while paying for management from money earned from timber sales. This pushes counties towards managing with the goal of providing a stable revenue stream from their lands, a goal that is supported by local politics in timber-dependent counties. The result is that counties are more production-oriented than other public forestland managers; however, they provide more consistent public access than private forest owners. Study Implications There are frequent discussions in the US on whether to either turn over public lands to local governments or purchase private land to be managed by local governments for public benefits. We show that local governments can manage forests professionally, providing a consistent timber supply to local mills while maintaining recreational benefits to the public. Other benefits and costs of local management are difficult to evaluate. This outcome is dependent on the availability of robust timber markets, which may not exist in other parts of the country, and makes county land management dependent on fluctuating commodity prices.

Austrian Logging: A Historical Account of the Time of Felling and Debarking, and Transportation Practices

Wood in Austria has been an indispensable source of energy, but also, a crucial building material. In the field of dendroarchaeology the timeline between raw material harvest and finalisation of a wooden construction is a crucial piece of puzzle in understanding building history. This paper aims to provide an overview on historical timber supply in Austria by examining the felling and debarking methods, as recorded in old literature and, from the visible evidence on beams in wooden constructions. Historically, depending on the size and location of a building, a small or extended supply chain of timber was required. These generally consisted of logs travelling via streams and rivers, and possibly beforehand passing through sluices and log slides, being skidded by horses and oxen, and being moved by manpower on sleighs, or simply on the forest floor. The seasonal working steps of the logging process included felling, debranching, debarking, cutting to length, and the start of the transportation process. Debarking was a specific focus in this investigation, as the appearance of bast (the inner bark of trees from which ropes were made) or even bark residues on the waney edge (outermost growth ring underneath the bark), may provide a clue to the felling time of year. These indications of the cutting season have been noticed during dendrochronological sampling of beams in historical buildings. Improved knowledge of them may contribute to future research of these buildings.

Regional timber supply for shipbuilding and maintenance of war fleets in Cadiz: methods, agents and phases (1717-1736)

In the period of 1717-1736, the southern peninsular forests became a new resource frontier at the service of the Spanish Navy, in the context of the Bourbon Reforms. The timber supply for shipbuilding and maintenance of war fleets in Cádiz was made through four methods: direct administration by commissioned services; purchase from regional middlemen merchants; articulation between contractors and direct administration; articulation with the Royal Exchequer. The rhythm of supply was the reflex of different needs and constraints in three phases: maintenance of fleets during the period of consolidation of Cádiz as a naval and commercial center (1717-1727); the first shipbuilding series (1728-1731); the impact of the 30’s Mediterranean campaigns and the shipbuilding production of Ciprian Autran (1731-1736).

Wood supply challenges in Alberta – Growing more timber is the only sustainable solution

The industrial wood supply from public lands is at risk in Alberta from natural disturbances and landbase withdrawals while simultaneously being asked to provide for an increasing timber harvest rate. While maintaining the timber landbase is critical, we believe that the only truly sustainable way of increasing wood supply is by growing more wood. Meeting these wood supply goals will require the application of tree improvement and intensive silviculture programs on the best sites to increase timber productivity, reduce rotation lengths, and close timber supply gaps. In this article, we present the main ideas from a recent Canadian Institute of Forestry – Rocky Mountain Section workshop on wood supply in Alberta and provide what we see as the best path forward to meeting our wood supply goals – growing more timber.