A key issue attached to the use of post-harvest forest residuals (slash) to make biojet fuel and other chemical products is how slash removal impacts the productivity and ecology of a working forest. The USDA-NIFA, through the NARA project, funds research to evaluate the impacts of …more
Those who consider the use of port-harvest forest residuals as a feedstock for biofuel or energy production are interested to know how biomass removal affects soil temperature, water retention and nutrient levels. These effects are being measured at Long-Term Soil Productivity Sites (LTSP) throughout the U.S including the NARA LTSP site in southern Oregon. As the name …more
Dr. Scott Holub from Weyerhaeuser presented an update on research at the NARA long-term soil productivity site near Springfield OR. This presentation is part of a webinar series provided by the McCall Outdoor Science School and is used to bring NARA …more
Trees need nitrogen to grow. If soil nitrogen levels are low, then growth is limited. The ability to accurately monitor the amount of soil nitrogen in a working forest is helpful for predicting future growth and for knowing when to take corrective action (fertilizer, altered management practices) when soil nitrogen levels decline.
Efforts to …more
The USDA-NIFA, through NARA, funds research to determine the environmental impact from a wood-based biofuel and chemical industry. To gauge how this industry would affect greenhouse gas (GHG) levels, a life cycle assessment (LCA) is being developed. In this …more
NIFA energy fellowship opportunities have been announced that apply to undergraduate, pre- and post-doctoral research designed to solve current and future agricultural challenges facing society. This includes the use of agriculture for sustainable energy.
The press release containing additional details can be found here.
The Bureau of Business and Economic Research team at the University of Montana, a NARA affiliate member, just published a report titled Idaho’s Forest Products Industry and Timber Harvest 2011 with Trends Through 2013. According to the report’s abstract,
“This report traces the flow of Idaho’s 2011 timber harvest through the primary industries; provides …more
One of the biggest economic challenges to using forest residuals as a feedstock for biofuel production is the cost of residue collection, processing and transport. Based on NARA’s preliminary analysis, nearly 18% of the manufacturing cost for biojet fuel is associated …more
Replacing fossil fuel-based products with bio-based products are good for …more
NARA’s second Cumulative Report is now available online. This report describes research efforts and activities conducted between April 2013 through March 2014.
You can view the NARA Cumulative Report: April 2013-March 2014 here.
Progress reports are sectioned within the Project’s five goals: Sustainable Biojet, Value Lignin Co-Products, Rural …more