ORIGIN OF RESOLUTION:

Forest-Based Economic Action Committee

ISSUE OF CONCERN:

Promoting Forestry and Woody Biomass in the 25x’25 Initiative for Bioenergy

BACKGROUND:

The National Association of State Foresters has a large stake in the advancement of the Energy Future Coalition’s 25x’25 Initiative (www.25x25.org) and has endorsed its vision. The 25x’25 vision states:

By 2025, America's farms, forests and ranches will provide 25 percent of the total energy consumed in the United States, while continuing to produce safe, abundant, and affordable food, feed and fiber.

The Initiative is a well-financed and organized effort with a high likelihood of influence and success. It is premised on increasing America's renewable energy use which will:

• Bring new technologies to market and save consumers money
• Reduce the nation’s dependence on oil from the Middle East
• Create good new jobs in rural America
• Improve forest health and other environmental conditions such as air quality.

The Initiative has broad implications for bioenergy applications (biofuels, electricity and heat) and woody biomass is one of the more promising bioenergy feedstocks. And thus, the forestry community stands much to gain from increased woody biomass utilization through bioenergy development; from improving rural economic well-being, to promoting private forestland ownership, to offsetting forest restoration costs and more.

Currently (Fall 2006), the Initiative is developing an implementation plan to guide achievement of the 25x’25 goal.

RESOLUTION:

It is vital that forests and forestry benefit from implementation of the 25x’25 Initiative. To this end, the NASF resolves to maximize the contributions of woody biomass to bioenergy initiatives and projects such as the 25x’25 Initiative for the betterment of the private landowner, the forest products industry and the forest management community at-large.

The concepts, messages and ideas outlined below need to be incorporated into implementation of 25x’25 and other bioenergy related efforts.

• Woody biomass is the future of bioenergy development. When considering feedstock availability, environmental benefits and per unit energy transfer, woody biomass is far and above the most plentiful and best of all bioenergy sources to use.
• Continued research is needed to unlock and overcome the remaining technical barriers in the utilization of woody biomass in bioenergy applications. This is particularly important in the biofuels arena where hurdles remain in developing commercialized lignocellulosic ethanol options.
• Financial incentives and pilot projects are needed to develop initial inertia and momentum for bioenergy projects that use woody biomass as a feedstock. Federal, state and local government have a central role here in establishing policies and providing seed monies to attract private sector investment.

The utilization of woody biomass in any bioenergy application must be sustainable. This means balancing the interconnection between the ecological, economic and social values that drive the utilization.

NASF ACTION:

( X ) Approved

DATE OF ACTION:
September 20, 2006