Sourcing Biomass Feedstock from US National Forests
Access to markets for low-value biomass feedstock can facilitate forest ecosystem restoration projects, including fire resiliency treatments, as well as contribute to the socio-economic vitality of rural, forest-dependent communities.
Opening Sustainable Biomass Markets for National Forests
In collaboration with the USDA Forest Service (USFS) and the Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP), the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities commissioned a comprehensive evaluation to support biomass markets for wood sourced from U.S. National Forests in the contiguous forty-eight states. That evaluation, a formal Regional Risk Assessment (RRA), is now complete and has now been fully endorsed by SBP. SBP has granted approval and the RRA for U.S. National Forests is now an endorsed RRA (v1.1), meaning SBP-certified biomass producers can rely on it for due diligence on NFS-sourced feedstock.
SBP is an international biomass certification system that uses a procurement and traceability standard to assure that biomass is sourced from legal and sustainable sources. Access to markets for low-value biomass feedstock can facilitate forest ecosystem restoration projects, including fire-resiliency treatments, while contributing to the socio-economic vitality of rural, forest-dependent communities. As the assessment confirms, U.S. National Forests practice responsible forest management, legally source wood, and show minimal risk in sustainable biomass sourcing.
How it works
To complete this work, INCOS Stratégies and Cambium Consulting LLC, with support from Dovetail Partners, conducted a formal Regional Risk Assessment (RRA) in accordance with SBP standards and procedures. The SBP RRA process uses a structured, data-driven methodology to identify and assess social, environmental, and economic risks (if any) associated with sourcing biomass feedstock directly from U.S. National Forests in the contiguous forty-eight states.
The SBP RRA for U.S. National Forests evaluates the alignment between the implementation of the USFS forest management framework and the requirements of SBP Standard 1: Feedstock Compliance. The results of the RRA are compiled in a report detailing findings and conclusions associated with forty-two indicators addressing legality, environmental protections, stewardship of forest carbon stocks, and benefits for people and communities.
This assessment took an innovative, first-of-its-kind approach. Rather than analyzing a single region, province, or state, as RRAs typically do, it treats the vast and varied network of U.S. National Forests as one region, delivering a targeted, nationally consistent review across all forests administered by the USFS in the contiguous U.S.
SBP Endorsement
The assessment has received full endorsement and been published by SBP. With this endorsement in place, U.S. biomass producers can source feedstock from National Forests in the contiguous forty-eight states under a framework that meets international standards for sustainability, enhancing access to expanding global markets for renewable energy in regions with strict sustainability requirements, such as Europe and Asia. The Endowment will continue to advance the benefits of sustainable forestry, support rural communities, and promote responsible biomass use across the United States now that the assessment has achieved full SBP endorsement.
