In this study we use a combination of data from forest inventories,
intensive chronosequences, extensive sites, and remote sensing, to make estimates
of biomass and net primary production (NPP) for the forested region of Western
Oregon. Plot-level forest inventory data were provided by the USDA Forest
Service through their Forest...
To effectively study dynamic processes like forest succession over long time periods one must effectively integrate data collected at many different times, locations and spatial scales. The purpose of this research is to integrate forest inventory data collected by the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program with...
Various methods have been used to estimate the amount of above ground forest biomass across landscapes and to create biomass maps for specific stands or pixels across ownership or project areas. Without an accurate estimation method, land managers might end up with incorrect biomass estimate maps, which could lead them...
A tenfold expansion of western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis spp.
occidentalis) into the sagebrush steppe has led to the degradation of the
economic and ecological potential of these landscapes. Land managers have
enacted numerous methods to reduce distributions and densities of these trees.
Assessment of above ground juniper biomass, expressed overall...
Remote sensing technologies have proven useful and cost-efficient for quantifying various forest vegetation characteristics over multiple scales. However, significant limitations were encountered in each of two related experiments conducted to explore their potential to supplement or replace traditional, single-species biomass equations for estimation of ground vegetation and tree overstory on...
Wildfire exclusion over the past century or more has resulted in extensive fuel accumulations throughout much of the West that combined with recent climatic patterns have increased the frequency of relatively uncommon, large, high-severity wildfires. Forest restoration treatments intended to alter landscape-level fire disturbance patterns can be difficult to implement...
Within Oregon there is considerable interest in the possibility of converting woody biomass to energy. This interest stems from three converging factors: the desire to reduce the threat of uncharacteristic wildfire by removing excess material from the forests, the possibility to stimulate rural economies that are dependent on forest products,...
The fixed bed drying of western hemlock and Douglas-fir biomass particles at temperatures ranging from 50°C to 200°C and air velocities from 0.3 to 0.9 m/s was investigated. The objectives were to describe the drying characteristics of the particles, fit a model for thin-layer drying, and develop and test a...
In order to decide whether or not to develop biomass energy facilities and where to best locate them, developers and investors need accurate assessments of fuel supply. This includes information about the distribution and concentration of fuel throughout the assessment area, the quality of fuel (form, moisture content, contaminant content,...