Supply Assessment of Forest Logging Residues and Non-Sawlog
Biomass in the Vicinity of Missoula, Montana, 2011-2013
Prepared by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Biomass Utilization
Program for the University of Montana, Missoula, April 20, 2011
Introduction
This assessment provides information on past and planned forest activities and their subsequent volumes
of materials generated, or estimated to be generated, in the vicinity of Missoula, Montana from 20112013. Information is reported for forest materials and residues (i.e. slash) generated from planned
timber sales and forest treatments on the following landownerships: private lands, DNRC State Trust
Lands, Bureau of Land Management lands, and US Forest Service National Forestlands. Where markets
exist, logging slash and non-sawlog biomass can be processed into useful products including biomass
energy fuel. With no market value, excess logging slash and non-sawlog biomass are commonly
disposed of in the forest through piling and open burning (after considerations for retention of organic
material on forest site are met). Depending on consumer demand and market prices, trees of varying
sizes and quality may be considered available biomass fiber supply.
It should be kept in mind that the estimated harvest volumes reported in this assessment are relational
to the currently depressed forest products market and may be considered conservative projections of
future volumes. Montana forest products saw its lowest demand on record since 1945 in 2009. This was
due in part to a nationally depressed economy and a reduction in housing starts. 2010 saw an uptick in
activity and markets are projected to continue to improve and stabilize as Montana mills are finding more
diversified markets both domestically and abroad. Nevertheless, even considering current market
conditions, estimates show ample logging residues available at currently low harvest levels. As Montana
forest product markets continue to increase, we can expect even greater volumes of available residues.
This assessment is intended only as a starting point for facilities and potential suppliers to use in
conducting their own research, and identifying and securing their own fuel sources. Additional
information on other regional biomass sources such as forest inventories, planned projects on other
landownerships, and mill residues is available through other resources.
Summary
The University of Montana, Missoula has estimated a biomass fuel demand of 15,642 dry tons per year.
This assessment reports ample biomass supply available solely from logging residues and small
trees/non-sawlog biomass expected to be generated in the near vicinity of Missoula from 2011-2013.
Estimated cumulative volumes by year are:
2011: 47,018 dry tons
2012: 61,983 dry tons
2013: 38,119 dry tons
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70000
Figure 1
Estimated cumulative volumes of biomass from logging slash residue and small trees
(<7" diameter) generated by planned forest treatments and timber harvests in
vicinity of Missoula, MT, 2011-2013
Lolo N.F.
60000
Bitterroot N.F.
Biomass (dry tons)
50000
BLM Lands
40000
DNRC State Lands
30000
Private Lands
20000
UM Biomass Fuel
Demand
10000
0
2011
2012
2013
Year
Refer to section titled Supply Availability by Landownership for reference information on estimated
volumes reported in Figure 1.
Methodology
This assessment provides information on past and planned forest activities and their subsequent volumes
of materials generated, or estimated to be generated, in the vicinity of Missoula, Montana from 20112013. Because land management agencies generally create plans for timber sales 2-5 years out, we
currently only have data up to year 2013. Information is reported for forest products and residuals
generated from planned timber sales and forest treatments on the following landownerships: private
lands, DNRC State Trust Lands, Bureau of Land Management lands, and US Forest Service National
Forestlands. Volumes reported are based on information that was available at the time of the
assessment and is subject to change.
1. Assessment Area
A. Private lands are reported within the county boundaries of Missoula, Granite, Mineral, and
Ravalli Counties.
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B. State lands are reported for the area within the administrative boundaries of the DNRC Unit
Offices in Missoula, Hamilton and Greenough.
C. Bureau of Land Management lands are reported for the area within the administrative
boundaries of the Missoula Field Office.
D. National Forest lands are reported for the area contained within the boundaries of the Lolo
and Bitterroot National Forests.
2. Volumes Reported and Metrics Used
Two main biomass sources are reported in this assessment—logging residue/slash and non-sawlog
biomass.
logging residues/slash—biomass residues generated as by-product of sawlog harvest (tree tops,
cull logs, limbs, and branches). The logging residue/slash volumes are conservative estimates for
western Montana forests, calculated at 0.45 dry tons of residue generated per 1,000 board feet
(MBF) of sawlogs harvested.
non-sawlog biomass—materials generated from harvest of trees less than 7 inches diameter at
breast height (DBH)
A few very simplified “rules of thumb” for timber and biomass metrics for Western Montana:
MBF = 1000 board feet
1 MBF sawlogs harvested generates 0.45 dry tons of slash/MBF.
1 MBF= 6.5 green tons
1 MBF = 8 trees
1 tree= 125 board feet
1 acre timber harvest generates, on average, 5-7 MBF/acre
Supply Availability by Landownership
A. Private Forestlands
It is not possible to predict the location and quantity of harvests on private lands, but we can make
informed estimates of future harvests based on historic activity. The Cut-by-County Reports published
annually by DNRC provide information about the harvested volumes of forested material delivered to
purchasing mills. Data in Table 1 reports the volume of sawlogs harvested from both industrial and nonindustrial private lands and the estimated logging residues (slash) generated from those harvests.
Volumes for materials harvested for other markets such as pulpwood, house logs, posts, poles, rails, and
firewood are not included. Additionally, volumes from materials generated from forest thinning projects
that may have occurred, but did not involve commercial products, are not included here.
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Table 1.
Private Lands
Missoula, Mineral, Granite and Ravalli Counties
Cumulative volumes generated from timber harvests, 2001-2010
Estimated Logging
Sawlog Harvest
Residues
Year
(MBF)
(dry tons)
2010
27,260
12,267
2009
17,589
7,915
2008
58,555
26,350
2007
77,528
34,888
2006
105,444
47,450
2005
122,792
55,256
2004
142,822
64,270
2003
138,007
62,103
2002
146,577
65,960
2001
156,693
70,512
Source: Montana DNRC Cut-by-County Summary: Private Lands Harvest from 1992 thru 2009; 2010 Cutby-County Report.
B. DNRC State Trust Lands
Table 2.
DNRC lands administered by Missoula, Hamilton and Clearwater Unit Offices
Estimated volumes generated from planned harvests, 2011-2013
Year
2011
2012
2013
Sawlog Harvest
(MBF)
20,061
17,300
17,050
Logging Residues
(dry tons)
9,027
7,785
7,672
Source: Montana DNRC Southwest Land Office Timber Sale Project List and Schedule, Fiscal Year 2011.
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C. Bureau of Land Management, Missoula Field Office
Note: Data for 2013 was not available at time of assessment.
Table 3.
BLM Missoula Field Office
Estimated volumes generated from planned harvests, 2011-2012
Year
2011
2011
2011
2012
Project Locale
Helmville
Hall
Seeley Lake
Drummond
Sawlog
Harvest
(MBF)
7,902
561
331
6,206
Logging
Residues
(dry tons)
4,124
293
172
3,239
Non-Sawlog Biomass
Harvest
(dry tons)
7,380
0
0
5,520
Total Biomass
from Logging
Residues and
Non-Sawlog
Harvest
(dry tons)
11,504
293
172
8,759
Source: John Wienert, Forester, Missoula Field Office, Bureau of Land Management. 11 April 2011.
D. National Forest Lands
Volumes reported for material in the following size ranges:
Non-sawlog biomass = material ≤ 7” DBH
Small log = material >7”-12” DBH
Large log = material >12” DBH
Lolo National Forest
The information in Table 4 below was retrieved from the Western Montana Coordinated Resource
Offering Protocol (CROP) website—an interactive website that provides broad level information on
timber sales and forest material offerings planned in regions of Western Montana in the near term.
Table 4.
Lolo National Forest
Estimated volumes generated from planned harvests, 2011-2013
Year
2011
2012
2013
Small Log
Harvests
(MBF)
7,881
17,733
10,696
Logging Residue
Generated from
Small Logs
(dry tons)
3,546
7,980
4,813
Large Log
Harvests
(MBF)
4,764
10,720
6,466
Logging Residue
Generated from
Large Logs
(dry tons)
2,144
4,824
2,910
NonSawlog
Biomass
Harvest
(dry tons)
4,055
9,125
5,504
Total Biomass
from Logging
Residues and
Non-Sawlog
Harvest
(dry tons)
9,746
21,929
13,227
Source: Western Montana Coordinated Resource Offering Protocol (CROP). http://www.cropusa.com/w_montana/Lolo_NF.php.
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Bitterroot National Forest
Year
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Sawlog
Harvest
(MBF)
3,400
6,500
5,500
5,500
5,500
Table 5.
Bitterroot National Forest
Estimated volumes generated from planned harvests, 2011-2015
Total Biomass from Logging
Logging Residue
Non-Sawlog Biomass
Residues and Non-Sawlog
(dry tons)
(dry tons)
Harvest (dry tons)
1,530
2,478
4,008
2,925
2,478
5,403
2,475
2,478
4,953
2,475
2,478
4,953
2,475
2,478
4,953
Sources: USFS Region 1. Bitterroot National Forest, 5-Year Timber Plan, 2011-2015; Western Montana
Coordinated Resource Offering Protocol (CROP). http://www.cropusa.com/w_montana/Bitterroot_NF.php.
Conclusion
The University of Montana, Missoula has estimated a biomass fuel demand of 15,642 dry tons per year.
This assessment reports ample biomass supply available solely from logging residues and small
trees/non-sawlog biomass expected to be generated in the near vicinity of Missoula from 2011-2013.
2011 estimates are 47,018 dry tons, 2012 estimates are 61,983 dry tons, and 2013 estimates are 38,119
dry tons.
The estimated harvest volumes reported in this assessment—given their relation to the currently
depressed forest products market—may be considered conservative projections of future harvest.
Nevertheless, even considering the current market conditions, these estimates show sufficient logging
residues available at currently low harvest levels. As Montana forest product markets continue to
improve and stabilize, we can expect even greater volumes of available residues.
This assessment is intended only as a starting point for facilities and potential suppliers to use in
conducting their own research, and identifying and securing their own fuel sources. Additional
information on other regional biomass sources such as forest inventories, planned projects on other
landownerships, and mill residues is available through other resources.
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