insist on safety biomass opportunities an environmental focus utility arboriculture conference 11th...

INSIST ON SAFETY

Biomass OpportunitiesAn Environmental Focus

Utility Arboriculture Conference

11th July 2011Richard PeberdyHead of AssuranceUPM Tilhill

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“Looking beyond the problem”

• What problem? It’s a great opportunity!

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And it’s not just the money that’s good

• All woodfuel systems offer at least a 60% improvement over coal in terms of carbon balance

• All forest biomass systems comply with the minimum greenhouse gas savings stipulated in the Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC) of 60% by 2018.

• Roundwood fuel systems make a positive contribution to lowering GHG emissions with no negative impacts on soil carbon

• So let’s get harvesting, let’s use the whole resource!

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The stems..

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The stumps….

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The brash….

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Everything!

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The researchers tell us that for stump removal

• Energy generated from stumps has higher carbon emissions than energy derived from roundwood or brash

• Transport of stumps is highlighted as inefficient (50% of energy inputs)

• Soil carbon changes had far greater effect on carbon emissions than the combination of all other inputs

• So in the forest we have to monitor and control these risks

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And for brash removal….

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e.g Controls for stump harvesting

Unusual for 50% of site to be available – often sites are not suitable at all

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This is a large and growing industry

And arborists will increasingly get involved

• The generators are investing in plants

• The forestry industry, and “waste” companies are developing supply chains

• AND THERE IS NOT ENOUGH WOOD FOR EVERYONE!

• And I want to look in more detail at what that means for Arborists, especially in Utilities

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Arborists deal with urban trees

Trees treated by us and the public as “individual” and valuable

• And they are valuable for a multitude of reasons

• The shade cools urban areas

• They mitigate flooding events

• They improve the quality of the air

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They are places to play

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And of course they are homes for all sorts of wildlife

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Sometimes life associated with death & decay

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And food and products that we like

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•Why no power lines in the pictures?

•Because to the public the trees are more important

•D D D…. resilience will mean more trees are considered for felling

•Remember the living, standing tree brings all those benefits – biodiversity, shade, flooding control

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We need to recognise this

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But not let it turn into this

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• We need to recognise the ecological and environmental value of the trees we propose to fell

• We need to have evidence based decisions for what we do and do not fell

• If we let the demand for biomass affect these felling decisions we will lose public confidence.

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Looking beyond the problem

• So how do we engage with the biomass opportunities correctly?

• Be aware of the issues

• Have a sound, documented system for reaching decisions

• Recognise the wider values

• 2 final challenges..

• Utilities & Biomass Users give clarity about the material you wish to burn, and remember that there is an important Arb stream available

• Arborists remember what Dr Seuss said:

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• “I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.”

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