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