Burning wood is considered carbon-neutral because it does not increase the amount of carbon dioxide (a regularly occurring molecule but also a greenhouse gas) cycling through the atmosphere. Carbon is continually cycling through all living plants and animals. Tree growth …
Many organisms live on decaying wood, so if decaying wood is removed from the forest for energy production, will it negatively impact the native ecology?
Removing decaying wood from the forest disrupts the life cycle of decomposers (decay fungi, insects, bacteria, etc.), which in turn can disrupt the food source and habitat for other plants and animals. The degree of disruption to the native ecology …
What are the air emissions of burning wood?
When wood is burned, the combustion reaction produces heat and emissions in the form of water, organic vapors, gases, and particulates. The emissions of most concern are carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur oxides (SOx), and nitrogen oxides (NOx). …
What is logging slash?
Generally, slash refers to any material left on the ground after trees have been cut. Slash is usually the limbs and the tops of trees. Technically, logs waiting to be transported to another location are considered as slash when taking …
Will harvesting woody biomass improve or reduce forest health?
It depends. Harvesting woody biomass provides opportunities to improve forest health by removing diseased, damaged, off-site species and otherwise cull trees that utilize space and resources. Removal of these trees results in better access to site resources for the healthier, …