IATP’s Forestry program is working to create the conditions for sustainable utilization of woody biomass in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Our efforts are designed to put into practical implementation the principles of sustainability involving economic, ecological and community considerations.

In 2005, IATP wrote and facilitated the passage of a Minnesota statute requiring the Minnesota Forest Resources Council and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to develop “Best Management Practices” for biomass harvesting in forests and brush lands by July 1, 2007.

Certification of most public forestlands in Minnesota under both Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) standards assures that these voluntary guidelines will be widely implemented.

Through a grant funded by the USDA Forest Service, IATP assembled diverse partners to address questions about economic costs and environmental impacts of biomass harvests in the forest. The Universities of Minnesota and Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the Superior National Forest, Forest Management Systems Loggers Cooperative, the cities of Virginia and Hibbing, Minnesota and IATP are conducting test harvests under a variety of forest conditions with various combinations of equipment, with results due early in 2007.

IATP is working with partners in St. Paul, Virginia, and Hibbing, Minnesota to assist them in developing woody biomass fuel supplies from surrounding public and private lands practicing sustainable forest management. Test harvests and development of model economic relationships are planned.

for more information
Woody Biomass Project summary
Woody Biomass Project Web page

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student Dustin Summer collects pre-harvest site data

Forwarding bundles of biomass

The John Deere 1490D biomass bundler at work

Biomass harvested in the Superior National Forest study