Coarse Woody Debris in a Loblolly Pine Plantation Managed for Biofuel Production

Abstract

Weyerhaeuser Company has initiated a long-term study investigating the sustainability effects of managing biomass for biofuels production in an existing 200-acre loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantation in Lenoir County, NC. As part of this comprehensive study, Weyerhaeuser contracted researchers from Duke University to design and carry out a study of the effects of harvest and site preparation methods on coarse woody debris (CWD) within the research area. The purpose of this study is to estimate the amount of CWD biomass, carbon, and nitrogen removed by each treatment method to establish baseline data as future growth trends are analyzed.