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There has been a fair amount of discussion about the biomass task force, and what may be developing in forest product usage in our area.
I thought it would be a good time to summarize for our community exactly what the task force is trying to do and how we plan to do it.
Through the Nevada County Economic Resources Council, I started the Northern California Biomass Utilization Task Force to see what interest there might be in reducing the explosive fire danger in our region by exploring woody biomass use. It turns out there was a high level of interest, and the task force created a series of objectives.
The framework underlying the task force is that the forests are in a state of severe fuel build-up, which is unnatural, unhealthy and ripe for catastrophic fire.
The goals of the task force are: 1) Analyze the research available on woody biomass; 2) determine which technologies are the most economically realistic and beneficial to our community, if any; 3) create a policy providing guidance to our community planners and decision-makers; and 4) formulate an education and outreach program so we all can know what the fire danger is and what the biomass utilization options are, if any.
A founding principal that all of the members of the task force have agreed upon is that all sides in the forest debate must be included in the conversation.
To this end, multiple environmental and natural resource organizations are becoming involved, in addition to representatives from science, government and forestry.
The task force does not have “a position” on either side of the forestry debate. When we have one, you'll know. Of course, members of the task force will be sharing their own perspectives. This is encouraged and is part of a vigorous community dialogue.
On the task force are representatives of many community organizations, including: Fire Safe Council, Nevada County Board of Supervisors, and Sierra County Board of Supervisors, Tahoe National Forest, Sierra Forest Legacy, Nevada County Resource Conservation District, Sierra Business Council, the North California Air Quality Resources Board, Nevada County Recycling, and the ERC.
Many of the people are not officially representing their organizations, but can speak to the needs of these stakeholder groups.
The renewable energy economy is drawing many people to look at our forests as a source of raw material to make energy. Some of these ideas are good, and some could lead to consequences that may not be in the community's long-term benefit.
Task force members hope to build a consensus on the options so that, as a community, we may move forward with a thought-out plan and clear intentions.
Keith Logan is owner of Logan and Associates, a sustainability consulting firm in Nevada County. He can be reached at (530) 913-4720 or loganandassociates@gmail.com.
I thought it would be a good time to summarize for our community exactly what the task force is trying to do and how we plan to do it.
Through the Nevada County Economic Resources Council, I started the Northern California Biomass Utilization Task Force to see what interest there might be in reducing the explosive fire danger in our region by exploring woody biomass use. It turns out there was a high level of interest, and the task force created a series of objectives.
The framework underlying the task force is that the forests are in a state of severe fuel build-up, which is unnatural, unhealthy and ripe for catastrophic fire.
The goals of the task force are: 1) Analyze the research available on woody biomass; 2) determine which technologies are the most economically realistic and beneficial to our community, if any; 3) create a policy providing guidance to our community planners and decision-makers; and 4) formulate an education and outreach program so we all can know what the fire danger is and what the biomass utilization options are, if any.
A founding principal that all of the members of the task force have agreed upon is that all sides in the forest debate must be included in the conversation.
To this end, multiple environmental and natural resource organizations are becoming involved, in addition to representatives from science, government and forestry.
The task force does not have “a position” on either side of the forestry debate. When we have one, you'll know. Of course, members of the task force will be sharing their own perspectives. This is encouraged and is part of a vigorous community dialogue.
On the task force are representatives of many community organizations, including: Fire Safe Council, Nevada County Board of Supervisors, and Sierra County Board of Supervisors, Tahoe National Forest, Sierra Forest Legacy, Nevada County Resource Conservation District, Sierra Business Council, the North California Air Quality Resources Board, Nevada County Recycling, and the ERC.
Many of the people are not officially representing their organizations, but can speak to the needs of these stakeholder groups.
The renewable energy economy is drawing many people to look at our forests as a source of raw material to make energy. Some of these ideas are good, and some could lead to consequences that may not be in the community's long-term benefit.
Task force members hope to build a consensus on the options so that, as a community, we may move forward with a thought-out plan and clear intentions.
Keith Logan is owner of Logan and Associates, a sustainability consulting firm in Nevada County. He can be reached at (530) 913-4720 or loganandassociates@gmail.com.
