Colorado’s Forest Health and Energy Issues are Topics of Conference at Colorado State on Feb. 21

Colorado’s forest health, energy issues and opportunities will be discussed at "Can Forests Meet Our Energy Needs? The Future of Forest Biomass in Colorado," from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Feb. 21 in the Lory Student Center Theater on the Colorado State University campus. The conference is open to the public but registration is required.  

Current and future trends in biomass utilization as they relate to energy are the focus of the conference. Additionally, presenters will explore how woody biomass, removed from Colorado’s forests to improve forest health and mitigate the threat of wildfires, also can be used as a viable, renewable energy alternative to fossil fuels.

Other conference topics and speakers include:

– "A State in a Tight Spot," presented by Mike Eckhoff, Colorado State University

– "Sustainability, Peak Oil and Gas and Our Energy Dilemma," presented by Steve Andrews, Association for the Study of Peak Oil

– "General Conditions of Western Forests," presented by Wayne Shepperd, U.S. Forest Service (Retired)

– "Forest Biomass in Colorado: The Nature of the Resource," presented by Craig Jones, Colorado State Forest Service

– "Forest Biomass: Linking Energy to Forest Health," presented by Kurt Mackes, Colorado State University

– "Incentives for Forest Biomass Utilization at the Federal Level," presented by Marcia Patton-Mallory, U.S. Forest Service

– "Incentives for Forest Biomass Utilization at the State Level," presented by Stacey Simms, Colorado Governor’s Energy Office

– "From the Front Lines: Current Legislative Initiatives," presented by Zane Kessler, Office of Sen. Ken  Salazar; and Chris Votoupal, Office of Rep. Ed Perlmutter

– "How the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute Can Help," presented by Dan Binkley, Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, Colorado State University

– "Environmental Limitations on Using Forest Products for Biomass," presented by Rocky Smith, Colorado Wild

– "A Perspective from the Colorado Timber Industry Association," presented by Carl Spaulding, Colorado Timber Industry Association

– "Wood Pellets / Thermal Applications in Arizona," presented by Rob Davis, Forest Energy Colorado

– "Wood Chip Heating in Colorado," presented by Scott Golden, Boulder County Parks and Open Space

– "Cellulosic Ethanol in Wyoming," presented by Tom Slunecka, KL Design Process Group

– "Bio-Oils and Emerging Pyrolysis Technologies," presented by John Scahill, U.S. Department of Energy

Registration and other conference details are available at: http://www.colostate.edu/programs/cowood/energy/index.html.

The conference is sponsored by the Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado Forest Restoration Institute and Colorado State Forest Service at Colorado State University; Colorado Forestry Association; Colorado Tree Farmers; Forest Products Society; Governor’s Energy Office; Society of American Foresters; and the U.S. Forest Service.

-30-