Assessing Pinyon Juniper Feedstock Properties and Utilization Options

Gresham, Garold Linn¹  Kenney, Kevin Louis¹ 

[1] Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

关键词: Pinyon-juniper;   

DOI  :  10.2172/1261008
RP-ID  :  INL/EXT--15-36368
PID  :  OSTI ID: 1261008

学科分类：生物科学（综合）

美国|英语

来源: SciTech Connect

【 摘 要 】

Pinyon-juniper woodlands are a major ecosystem type found in the Southwest and the Intermountain West regions of the United States. These ecosystems are characterized by the presence of several different species of pinyon pine and juniper as the dominant plant cover. Since the 1800s, pinyon-juniper woodlands have rapidly expanded their range at the expense of existing ecosystems. Additionally, existing woodlands have become more dense, potentially increasing fire hazards. Land managers responsible for these areas often desire to reduce pinyonjuniper coverage on their lands for a variety of reasons, including restoration to previous vegetative cover, mitigation of fire risk, and improvement in wildlife habitat. However, the cost of clearing or thinning pinyon-juniper stands can be prohibitive. One reason for this is the lack of utilization options for the resulting biomass that could help recover some of the cost of pinyonjuniper stand management. The goal of this project was to assess the feedstock characteristics of biomass from a pinyon-juniper harvest so that potential applications for the biomass may be evaluated.