Integrating forest biomass procurement in wood procurement for conventional products is a potential means of reducing bioenergy system supply costs. We studied forest harvest operations to procure biomass in the form of trees and tree sections, along with sawtimber and pulpwood. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the supply chain with a particular focus on harvest costs, and potential silvicultural savings from less need for site preparation and reforestation. We compared four wood procurement scenarios of increasing intensity (from harvesting only sawtimber to harvesting sawtimber, pulpwood and biomass for bioenergy) at three sites in eastern Canada. Wood procurement intensity did not affect feedstock unit costs (CAD m-3). At the stand scale, procuring biomass for bioenergy had limited impact on harvest costs (CAD ha-1) for low-density stands with large trees. In contrast, high-density stands with small trees generated more feedstock for bioenergy (up to 50 m3 ha-1), but biomass procurement increased harvest costs. The cost-effectiveness of the wood supply chain did not vary significantly along the wood procurement intensity gradient we studied when silvicultural savings are considered. The proportion of biomass harvested, stand characteristics and market conditions proved to be important factors that influence wood procurement profitability.
En 2020, le Québec a adopté une stratégie nationale de production de bois (SNPB) afin d’augmenter la quantité et la qualité de la matière ligneuse produite. Au cours d’une table ronde tenue à l’automne 2021, des experts de la foresterie et de domaines connexes se sont prononcés sur cette nouvelle stratégie et sur les défis de mise en oeuvre qu’elle pose. L’objectif principal de cet article est de présenter les principaux constats émis au cours de cette table. Les constats ont été divisés en deux thématiques, soit le contexte général d’élaboration de cette stratégie et le contexte de sa mise en oeuvre en forêt. Bien que la plupart des panélistes s’entendent sur la pertinence de créer une telle stratégie, notamment en ce qui a trait à l’atténuation des changements climatiques et à la création de richesses, plusieurs interrogations persistent. Les défis d’harmonisation des usages, de régionalisation, de spatialisation des décisions d’aménagement, de manque de maind’oeuvre et de la dynamique incertaine des écosystèmes complexifient l’évaluation des retombées potentielles de la SNPB sur le terrain et sa capacité d’atteindre les cibles établies.
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