Glossary of Terms

best management practices: A practice or combination of practices that is determined to be the most effective and practicable means of preventing or reducing undesirable results. In terms of woody biomass utilization, undesirable results could be excessive soil compaction, soil erosion, and other adverse impacts to ecosystem structure and composition.

biobased product: An industrial product (including chemicals, materials, and polymers) produced from biomass, or a commercial or industrial product (including animal feed and electric power) derived in connection with the conversion of biomass to fuel.

bioenergy: Useful, renewable energy produced from organic matter–the conversion of the complex carbohydrates in organic matter to energy. Organic matter may either be used directly as a fuel, processed into liquids and gases, or be a residual of processing and conversion.

biorefinery: A facility that processes and converts biomass into multiple value-added products. These products can range from biomaterials to fuels such as ethanol or important feedstocks for the production of chemicals and other materials. Biorefineries can be based on a number of processing platforms using mechanical, thermal, chemical, and biochemical processes.

carbon sequestration: Carbon sequestration is the process by which atmospheric carbon dioxide is absorbed by trees and other plants through photosynthesis and stored as carbon in biomass (trunks, branches, foliage, and roots), soils, and wood products. Adopting certain agricultural and forestry activities can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the atmosphere and sequester additional carbon.

coordinated resource offering protocol (CROP): This effort projects biomass offerings within agencies (i.e., between ranger districts within a single national forest or between adjacent national forests) and between agencies (USFS, USDI, State, military, Indian nations, etc.) within an investor landscape. It focuses on levelingannual supply of volumes by diameter classes and species to increase capacity by promoting private capital investments in biomass processing equipment and facilities. The result of this assessment is maps and data revealing available material by species and diameter class to potential buyers and operators.

ecological restoration: The process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded,damaged, or destroyed. The concept of ecological restoration is forward-looking. Restoration focuses on reestablishing composition, structure, and ecological processes to maintain or increase resilience of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in a dynamic, continually evolving world.

ecosystem services: Benefits people obtain from ecosystems. These include provisioning services such as food, water, timber, and fiber; regulating services that affect climate, floods, disease, wastes, and water quality; cultural services that provide recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual benefits; and supporting services such as soil formation, photosynthesis, and nutrient cycling.

forest health: A measure of the robustness of forest ecosystems. Aspects of forest health include biological diversity; soil, air, and water productivity; natural disturbances; and the capacity of the forest to provide a sustained flow of goods and services for people.

restoration: The process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. (Thinning and prescribed fire are examples of vegetation management tools used to accomplish forest restoration.)

silviculture: The science and art of controlling the establishment, composition, and growth of forests.

short-rotation woody crops: Tree crops grown primarily for their fuel value.

small diameter: Timber that is usually 4- to 8-inches in diameter that has not been economical to remove for traditional timber production.

sustainability: The capacity to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs; integrates environmental, social, and economic concerns and outcomes.

woody biomass: The trees and woody plants, including limbs, tops, needles, leaves, and other woody parts, grown in a forest, woodland, or rangeland environment that are the byproducts of forest management. (Derived from the interagency memorandum of understanding between USDA, DOE, and DOI 2003.)

woody biomass utilization: The harvest, sale, offer, trade, or utilization of woody biomass to produce the full range of biobased products and bioenergy, including lumber, composites, paper and pulp, furniture, housing components, round wood, ethanol, chemicals, and energy feedstocks

wood waste stream: Wood waste output of a community, region, or State. This can include pruned branches, stumps, and whole trees from street and park maintenance; used lumber, trim, shipping pallets; and other clean wood debris from construction.