Irish Bioenergy Association publishes guide to Specified Biomass Harvesting

In Ireland, the Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) has published a guide to Specified Biomass Harvesting (SBH) as part of sustainable forest management. Ireland has grown a significant forest resource over the past century since independence, with much of this forest resource now reaching harvest stage. Maximizing the value of this harvest, while protecting the forest environment and optimizing future crops are challenges that are being addressed through sustainable forest management.

Noel Gavigan, IrBEA Technical Executive and co-author of the report said: “As a biomass fuel, SBH displaces fossil fuels with significant greenhouse gas savings. This is achieved through fossil displacement and avoidance of emissions from decaying residues on site. Where SBH is harvested reforestation costs can be lowered and regeneration is more uniform.”SBH has the potential to provide a significant amount of renewable fuel while facilitating regeneration and closing the forest cycle.

Eugene Hendrick, chairman of the Wood Fuel Quality Assurance (WFQA) said: “Irish foresters and forest owners, and those involved in forest certification now have the guidance to hand to enable sustainable harvest of an additional forest energy assortment through SBH. This publication brings together previous research and summarizes current best practice. Following the guidance will provide for better biomass and better future forests assurance to growers.