Science In Action

Listed below are a number of resources, including peer-reviewed research, state planning documents and media articles that highlight obstacles and potential solutions to California’s wood waste challenge.

Media

As forests go up in smoke, so will California's climate plan.

LA Times.

How forest thinning waste could fund California wildfire prevention.

CalMatters.

Science and Policy

Getting to Neutral: Options for Negative Carbon Emissions in California.

Report led by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory identifying woody biomass as a leading carbon removal option in California.

Innovative wood use can enable carbon-beneficial forest management in California.

Peer-reviewed study by UC Berkeley researchers identifying biomass utilization as key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from wildfires and in end-uses by replacing fossil fuels as well as supporting the cost of forest treatments.

The good, the bad, and the future: Systematic review identifies best use of biomass to meet air quality and climate policies in California.

Peer-reviewed study by UC Davis researchers identifying biomass utilization into energy and other end-uses (the ‘good’) as more beneficial for the climate and air quality than field burning, decay and wildfire (the ‘bad’).

Mass Timber and Other Innovative Wood Products in California: A study of barriers and potential solutions to grow the state’s sustainable wood products sector.

Report by the Sierra Institute for Community and Environment recommending actions for California to grow sectors in forest restoration, carbon management and climate change, and rural and urban development.

Policy Options for Deep Decarbonization and Wood Utilization in California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard.

Peer-reviewed study led by UC Berkeley and Cal Poly Humboldt identifying barriers to commercialization and administrative actions that could be taken to incentivize low-carbon and carbon-negative biofuels pathways.

A Practical Guide to Sustainable Biomass Sourcing for Carbon Removal.

Report by Carbon Direct which provides guidance for biomass sourcing in carbon dioxide removal contracts to reduce the risk of adverse outcomes and therefore appropriately scale the biomass-based removal industry.

Trees being picked up and hauled off to use as biomass

California Biomass Residue Emissions Characterization (C-BREC) Model Web Tool

Forest biomass life cycle assessment framework developed by Cal Poly Humboldt and the Schatz Energy Research Center.

Accelerating Forest Restoration: stimulating a forest-restoration economy and rebuilding resilience in California’s fire-adapted forests.

Report by The Nature Conservancy and Bain & Company evaluating alternative biomass utilization options and how utilization can defray the high cost of forest treatments.

Smokey conditions over the Sierra Nevadas

Biomass in the Sierra Nevada: A case for healthy forests and rural economies.

Report by Sierra Business Council detailing the current state of Sierra Nevada forests, the role of biomass utilization and assessment of watershed co-benefits.

Firefighters dealing with fires in a forest

Investment opportunities for increasing forest and fire management capacity in California: A capacity and needs assessment of local groups, non-profits, and tribes.

Report authored by The Watershed Research and Training Center and Oregon State University surveying perspectives of forest and fire management entities to identify key investment, workforce and capacity needs in California.

Knocking down trees and clearing forest debris

Forest biomass diversion in the Sierra Nevada: Energy, economics and emissions.

Peer-reviewed research led by Place County Air Pollution Control District Springsteen identifying energy and emission benefits of using forest waste from fuel hazard reduction projects as an alternative to open pile burning

State plans and documents

2022 Scoping Plan Update.

California Air Resources Board.

Agreement for shared stewardship of California’s forest and rangelands between the state of California and the USDA, Forest Service Pacific Southwest region.

Wood Utilization Work Group Proposed Actions.

Preliminary recommendations from a working group of state and federal agencies, and external advisors assembled by California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force to develop a wood utilization strategy in California.

Controlled burning in a forest to clear debris

Sustainable Woody Biomass Industry Development in California.

California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank.

Advancing Collaborative Action on Forest Biofuels in California.

Recommendations developed by a 50-person working group assembled by the Joint Institute for Wood Products Innovation to advance policy and market development strategies for forest biofuels across California.