Terry Gallagher
tgallagher@fs.fed.us
Short Term (0-2 years) & Mid Term (2-4 years)
Using the complete natural resource management toolbox (including timber harvests, thinning, mowing, and brush cutting options) to meet landowner objectives, including reducing the risk from hazardous fuels, is needed to achieve a landscape more resilient to disturbance events including wildfire. Achieving the goals of the Cohesive Strategy using prescribed fire is extremely challenging in many areas in the Northeast due to limited burning opportunities, limited resources for conducting burns, smoke impact concerns, high fuel loads, and extensive amount of WUI present. Natural resource management activities that provide for biomass utilization provide a range of benefits to Cohesive Strategy implementation. Utilization can reduce fuel loads prior to the use of prescribed fire, can be an economically viable option in some areas, and can contribute to renewable energy development and greenhouse gas reduction strategies. The sustainable use of biomass for forest products and energy reduces the use of fossil fuels and the production of greenhouse gases, while promoting forest health, economic stability, and climate change resilience and adaptation by manipulating stand density and composition. An exciting new pathway for reduction of hazardous fuels is wood-based nanotechnology. Wood-based nanotechnology uses forest biomass to produce cellulose nanomaterials. Such materials have unique properties with wide ranging applications and potential commercial uses in consumer products, electronics, energy, and defense. New markets for biomass will create new pathways for reduction of fuel loads and accelerate forest restoration. Hazardous fuels, forests that are too dense, and event driven fuels such as those created by recent superstorms can be treated at an accelerated pace because the demand for biomass will be considerably greater. This action and set of tasks contributes to the desired outcomes of all three Northeast Cohesive Strategy goals by: treating the landscape to reduce hazardous fuels and promoting resilient ecosystems; reducing risk from the excessive presence of hazardous fuels to citizens and property in local communities; and reducing the risk to firefighters responding to incidents.
