Commercial Forestry on Clay Settling Areas

Transcription

1 Commercial Forestry on Clay Settling Areas Common Purpose Institute and the University of Florida/IFAS Steve Segrest and Dr. Don Rockwood Presentation to the Phosphate Mining Conference Lakeland, Florida October 17,

2 The views presented are based on our Experiences & Research in developing a Tree Farm at a ~ 135 acre CSA Site in Lakeland. Site last mined in the 1940 s -- almost 100% heavy clays. Soils were heavily compacted, little organics, high ph (7.8). Prior to development, totally dominated by 6 Cogongrass. Long history of severe wildfires (1 to 2 times a year). Sterile Prairie of Cogongrass for Wildlife Habitat (Audubon). Site typical of Older (Ft. Meade) or Newer (Williams) CSAs. (Allelopathic and Fire Impacts of Cogongrass present major problems.) 2

3 Tree Farms on CSAs: Lakeland Site- Cypress, Slash pine, Cottonwood, E. grandis, E. amplifolia 3

4 Two Components of Lakeland Tree Farm Demonstration Research: Energy Crops of Eucalyptus & Cottonwoods (U.S. DOE, TECO). -- fast growing with heights up to 20 feet per year. -- trees coppice, allowing 6 to 8 harvests before replanting. University of Florida Research on Native Trees (FIPR). Energy Crop Research Targeted to Renewable Energy Use: Energy Crop (Biomass) Co-Firing at Existing Coal Power Plants. Displacing ~1% to 5% of Coal Use with a Cleaner Fuel Source. Reducing Air Emissions of CO2 (Global Warming), NOx (Smog), (SO2) Acid Rain, and Hg (Mercury). 4

5 Using Bridge Crops to Reclaim CSA to Long-term Productive Use: Tree Farms (landscape mulch, energy crops, timber, new products). Food Agriculture Use (with good organic rich soils). Native Wooded Uplands (market funded, not tax funded). Developing Cost Effective Commercial-Scale Practices: Short and Long-term Site Stabilization from Invasives (cogongrass) Building Soil Quality (increased organics, decreased compaction). Tree Planting Procedures with High Survival Rates (~90%). Dramatic Cost Reductions in Tree Harvesting Costs. Agriculture-Science Based Research that is Market Driven. 5

6 Site Prep: Herbiciding and Disking will control Cogongrass for ~ 1 Year. Know your Enemy of Cogongrass Rhizomes You must Disk! Slower Working Roundup-Pro Appears to do best (~ 3 weeks). Planting: Bedding is Mandatory (flat planted trees under-perform). Water/Foot Packing of Individual Tree Seedlings is Critical! Soils Nitrogen Deficient, Seedlings need Ammonium Nitrate. Densely Plant to Dominate Cogongrass (~1,800 trees per acre). After ~1 Year, Sow Seed Banks of Native Plants on Forest Floor. 6

7 Traditional Tree Harvesting/Chipping Costs between $13 and $20 per Green Ton is Driving much of our Field Research. Traditional Methods use Fellerbunchers, Skidders, Chippers. ~70% Harvesting Development Transportation While not the original intent, our Approach to Harvesting is 7 also Resolving Environmental Problems (Invasives, Soils).

8 In Europe where Energy Crops are used for Renewable Energy, Harvesting Equipment has been developed which may reduce Traditional Harvesting Costs by perhaps 75%. $18.00 $4.50 U.S. Traditional Harvesting E.U. Energy Crop Harvesting 8

9 Harvesting Head for Claas of America Foraging Equipment 9

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11 This Focus on Harvesting Cost Explains our Research Approach: (1) Single Rows of Trees on 11 center Beds. (2) Double Rows of Trees on 11 center Beds. (3) Four Rows of Trees on 23 center Macro Beds (Mounds): 11

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13 CSA Tree Survival/Mortality is becoming very clear: Any type of Tree Not Foot Packed at Planting (into moist soil or watering onto seedlings) will have ~90% Mortality. Most Slow Growing Native Trees can not compete with cogongrass. Repeated Use of Herbicide is not the Answer. The Answer to Cogongrass Control is a function of: Fast Growing Trees that Canopy and Shade Quickly. Planting Trees in High Densities to Initially Dominate. Stabilizing Forest Floor with Natives (introducing seed banks). 13

14 Eucalyptus Grandis 10 weeks after Planting 14

15 Same Area 9 Months After Planting 15

16 In Global Warming Research (e.g., impact of creating carbon sinks with energy crops), we excavated whole, 1 year old eucalyptus trees with a back-hoe and then weighed the above and below ground mass. 38% 62% Results Showed whole tree weights of ~100 lbs. -- of which, ~38 lbs. was in the tree s root system! Above Ground Root System 16

17 Soils Building: A Key Aspect of CSA Reclamation Often Overlooked The Results of Energy Crop Tree s Root Systems & Leaf Litter is: Increasing Soil Organics and Microbial Activity. Decreasing Soil Compaction/Bulk Density. Decreasing Soil ph (from 7.8 to 6.8). Increasing Available Nitrogen to Plants (Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio). In addition, Energy Crop Trees are performing needed De-watering of the CSA Site through Evaporation and Transpiration of the Trees. 17

18 Costs Per Acre for Tree Farm Development on CSA $250 $300 $250 $270 $50 $90 $40 Herbicide Site Prep Disk Bed Plant Trees Fertilize Total Costs Per Acre of ~ $1,250 18

19 Assumptions: Crop Yields of 32 Green Tons Per Acre Per Year. Harvest Cycles of Every 3 Years. Coppice Total of 6 Harvests from Tree Farm, w/o Re-planting. Cost of Capital 9%. Scenario 1: Farmer Wants to recover full costs at 1 st Harvest. Development Costs of ~$13 per Green Ton ($1,250/96 green tons). Scenario 2: Farmer Recovers Cost over Economic Life of Farm. Development Costs of ~$4 per Green Ton. (In converting to dry tons, just assume 50% moisture content) 19

20 SPECIES ENERGY MULCH PULP C -N -S ST WSCB Cypress X X X Slash Pine X X X X Cottonwood X X E. grandis X X X X X E. amplifolia X X X X Eucalyptus Mulch Is a Very Established Market (Home Depot, etc.) with Lykes Corp. s Having an ~15,000 Acre Plantation located in Palmdale (Glades County, about 30 minutes from Port Charlotte). 20

21 Mulch Companies (i.e., supplying Home Depot, etc.) are offering Between $13 and $17 per green ton for Eucalyptus Timber Rights. Appealing in that Tree Harvesting, Chipping, and Transportation is somebody else s Headache (the Mulch Co. and not the Grower s). Simple Illustration of Economics: Tree Yields of 32 Green Tons Per Acre Per Year. Revenue from Mulch Company of $13 per Green Ton. Levelized Development Cost of $4 per Green Ton. Profit of $9 per Green Ton. Booked Profit of $288 per Acre per Year ($9 x 32). 21

22 Fuel Value of ~$18 per Green Ton to Electric Utility (cost of coal). Tax Credit Value of ~$26 per Green Ton (Section 45 Tax Credit). At ~$44 per Green Ton, Utility Indifferent to Coal vs. Crop Fuel. $44.00 $44.00 $27.58 $26.42 $16.42 $17.58 Crop Revenue Crop Costs Profit Case 1: Harvesting Cost of $20 Book Profit $525 per Acre/Year Crop Revenue Crop Costs Profit Case 2: Harvesting Cost of $10 Book Profit $845 per Acre/Year 22

23 Example of Using Bridge Crops to Restore CSAs to Native Uplands Initial Planting After 1 st Harvest 100% Tree Crops After 3 rd Harvest After Final Harvest 100% Native Uplands 23 Sites Like Tenoroc Pay Their Own Way to Native Restoration!

24 FIPR/FDEP Research: Soil Remediation/Building from Fast Growing Trees. Stabilization of Forest Floors with Native Species Plants. Commercial Scale Bridge Crop Demonstrations: By, or Financially Supported by Phosphate Industry. Demo Projects on Non-Mandatory Lands (FDEP). 24

25 Common Purpose & University of Florida Joint Research: University of Florida IFAS Research: Research and Opinions: Cogongrass -- Florida Division of Forestry (Mark Hebb): / Cogongrass -- University of Florida (Dr. Shilling): Cogongrass -- (Richard Coleman, Sierra Club): Soil Quality -- UF/IFAS/FIPR Paper on Soils: 25