Linking Habitat Restoration to Bioenergy and Local Economies

Linking Habitat Restoration to Bioenergy and Local Economies (a.k.a. Woody Biomass Harvest for Habitat Restoration) was an innovative project helping to restore high quality native plant communities by removing ecologically inappropriate woody vegetation (exotic and/or native species) while stimulating local economies through strategic utilization of the biomass material for bioenergy or other products. The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological and Water Resources (DNR) received $600,000 from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) and funded by the 2010 Legislature. Funds were granted through a competitive process to public or private landowners for the cutting, moving and staging of woody biomass material generated as a by-product of restoration. Participating landowners agreed to donate the woody biomass material to the DNR who managed the sale of the material to local established and emerging woody biomass markets. Revenues collected were reinvested for further purposes of the project.

Program Objectives

Goal: Restore valuable habitats while stimulating local economies through strategic utilization of the biomass material for bioenergy or other products. Objectives: • Restore critical habitats and high quality native plant communities and enhance biodiversity. • Utilize woody biomass material by expanding market opportunities for biomass traditionally burned or landfilled. • Stimulate local woody biomass markets, support local businesses and NGO’s, and employ labor crews, such as Conservation Corps Minnesota; complete a variety of types of projects (based on species/type of woody plant material, density, distance, land ownership, utilization opportunity, etc.).

Status: Completed

Start Date: 07/01/2010

Active Projects: (1) Active Projects

Completed Projects: (10) Completed Projects

Program Website / How To Apply:

Funding

Indicator: Acres treated for habitat restoration by removing ecologically inappropriate woody vegetation

Indicator: Cost per acre for cutting, moving and staging of woody biomass material

Indicator: Revenue collected for the woody biomass material removed from the project site.

Indicator: Habitat types under restoration following the removal of ecolgically inappropriate woody vegetation

* The graph and indicator data may be grouped into date ranges that correspond with a group of grants that started at the same time. For example, grants that started in 2010 may have until 2012 to complete their work. Grants that started in 2011 may have until 2013 to complete their work (ranges vary by program). Each group is reported separately, which is why date ranges appear in the graph above and indicator data below.

Indicator Data

July 2010 - June 2013

Target 300 Acres	Current Measurement 415 Acres	As Of 2013-06-30
Target Description The goal was to implement a minimum of 12 biomass harvest projects for a mimimum total of 300 acres of critical habitats and high quality native plant communities under restoration. Each round of funding is targeting 150 acres. There were expected to be 2 rounds of funding.
Measurement Description Round 1: 6 projects completed. Round 2: 2 projects completed. Round 3: 3 projects completed. Total acres being restored is 415. The target of 150 acres has been greatly exceeded.

Indicator Data

July 2010 - June 2013

Target 1,500 Dollars	Current Measurement 1,240 Dollars	As Of 2013-06-30
Target Description Based on project costs for the previous woody biomass projects funded through the "Linking Habitat Restoration to Bioenergy" the average cost per acre was $1,500 for the cutting, moving and staging of the woody material. This project goal is to strive to keep the per acre cost at or below $1,500/acre. Project contractors are selected through a competitive bid process (either by master contract already established with the project site landowner or project-specific bid process) to perform this work in the most cost-effective and efficient manner and in adherence to sound ecological restoration practices as prescribed.
Measurement Description The average cost per acre for the cutting, moving and staging of woody biomass from 415 acres for the 11 completed projects is $1,240. The range is $633 per acre to $2,293 per acre.

Indicator Data

July 2010 - June 2013

Target 0 Dollars	Current Measurement 15,100 Dollars	As Of 2013-06-30
Target Description This project offered a pilot approach to selling woody biomass from habitat restoration projects. There was no target amount of revenue to be collected.
Measurement Description Two biomass sales were conducted for the Belwin Conservancy ($10,600) and Koester Farm Partnership ($500) resulting in a total of $11,100 in revenues. An additional $4,000 in biomass value was identified for a total of $15,100 applied to additional project work.

Export Indicator Data (csv)

Target 0 Native Plant Community	Current Measurement 415 Native Plant Community	As Of 2013-06-30
Target Description There is no specific native plant community targeted, however, oak savanna and prairie are priority habitats.
Measurement Description Of the total 415 acres treated as a result of this project, 238 acres are being restored to oak woodland/forest, 95 to prairie, 69 to oak savanna, 8 to lowland hardwood forest and 5 to emergent marsh.