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Commentary: Is wood part of the ecosystem?
Woodworking Network
There has been some controversy in the "forestry" world because so many academic forestry programs have transformed themselves into "ecosystems" programs over the last decade or so. That includes Penn State School of Forest Resources, which is now the Penn State Department of Ecosystems Science and Management.
The main complaint against this trend is that this new definition of "those who study the forest" is too broad for potential employers to evaluate. And the main argument for this trend is that this new definition of "those who study the forest" is broad enough to encompass all the areas of interest in forestry ... and then some. It really is a matter of perspective.
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2015 International Wood Composites Symposium
Washington State University and FPS
The 49th International Wood Composites Symposium will take place April 21 and 22 in Seattle. This year's Symposium offers an industry-driven forum for wood composite and wood plastic composite customers, producers, suppliers and researchers to focus on competing demands and opportunities. Industry leaders will discuss global economic outlooks, fiber supply and the latest product and process improvements for our industry.
Procter & Gamble fires up massive biomass investment
Forbes
With companies like Apple and Google regularly stealing headlines for their solar and wind investments, it's easy to forget "renewable" energy comes in many forms. For consumer products giant Procter & Gamble biomass continues to be highly strategic. Indeed, it's working on one of the biggest corporate biomass plants in the United States, a 50-megawatt installation at its Bounty and Charmin manufacturing plant in Albany, Georgia.
USDA gives biomass energy development $8.7 million boost
Hoosier Ag Today
Up to $8.7 million in federal funding is being made available for next-generation bioenergy development in biomass. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is funding the bioenergy research and education efforts and will be publishing the final rule for a program that provides incentives for farmers and forest landowners interested in growing and harvesting biomass for renewable energy.
Complicity in illegal logging goes far beyond the loggers
Greenpeace
There's an old adage that "rules are made to be broken". Whatever your take on that logic, the idea of "rules are made to be enforced" is less open to debate. A welcomed addition when it was introduced on March 3, the European Union Timber Regulation prohibits the placement of any illegal timber or timber products on the European market. Yet two years on and Greenpeace continues to expose shipments of wood from companies involved with criminal and illegal activities in the Amazon and the Congo Basin finding their way to Europe.
Harvesting timber can provide multiple benefits
Ozarks Farm
Selling timber can be very profitable. While it depends on the quality of the timber, prices are higher than they've ever been. "A standing tract of timber can bring anywhere from $300 to $700 per acre when it is harvested," University of Missouri Extension forestry specialist Hank Stelzer said. A harvest is not the same as a clear cut, he added. Harvesting is a selective process of removing biologically mature trees. Usually about half of the volume can be removed in a sustainable manner. In addition to generating revenue, harvesting can benefit the timber stand.
Lumber Liquidators refutes claims of CARB violations by '60 Minutes'
Woodworking Network
Lumber Liquidators says it stands "by every single plank of wood and laminate we sell all around the country" and refutes claims by "60 Minutes" that it has been deliberately selling laminate flooring in California that exceeds CARB regulations for formaldehyde emissions.
60 Minutes said it randomly tested packages of Lumber Liquidators' Chinese-made flooring sold in California, Virginia, Texas, Illinois and Florida and found high levels of formaldehyde emissions, despite the fact the packages were marked CARB-compliant. High levels of formaldehyde have been linked to cancer. Lumber Liquidators' stock dropped Monday following the "60 Minutes" probe on March 1.
Global Bioenergies reports 1st isobutene production from waste biomass
Green Car Congress
Global Bioenergies has produced "second-generation" isobutene in a push to diversify accessible feedstock towards cheaper resources. As a first step in manufacturing bio-sourced isobutene, Global Bioenergies has been using first-generation feedstock, such as wheat-derived glucose, to set up and to optimize its bioisobutene process, which produces the gaseous hydrocarbon via fermentation. However, the process was designed to be versatile in terms of feedstock.
Militarization and alternative biofuel drives Ethiopian land-grab
Digital Journal
Ethiopia promises to meet its Millennium Goal objectives of creating a middle class and providing education and health care for its indigenous tribes. India promises to reduce its green house gas emissions from and dependency upon fossil fuels through production of alternative biofuels.
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