June 30: Field tour of Hayden poplar bioenergy site

By Betsy Fradd, WSU Extension

Hayden-poplarsHAYDEN, Idaho – Join researchers in the field for a free tour of the Advanced Hardwood Biofuel (AHB) Hayden 65-acre poplar demonstration site 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, June 30.

Lunch is included. RSVP Betsy Fradd at bfradd@wsu.edu.

The poplars will be showing much of their regrowth potential in their second growing season as a sustainable feedstock for biofuel and bioproduct production.

AHB is a consortium of educational and industry partners, including Washington State University, working to prepare northern California, Oregon, Washington and northern Idaho for a sustainable hardwood biochemicals and biofuels industry. Learn more at http://hardwoodbiofuels.org.

Topics addressed by a local landowner, researchers and extension professionals will include: growing poplar as a short rotation woody energy crop; sustainable production and environmental impacts on soil, water and wildlife; the best areas to develop biofuel and bioproduct industries; and biomass production with operational and research poplar plots.

Speakers will include:

Ken Windram, Hayden area sewer board administrator, on the benefits of poplar plantations to mitigate the impact of wastewater and the potential for other communities to adopt similar practices.

Mark Coleman, University of Idaho, on sustainability research on soil, carbon emissions and water.

Jesus Espinoza, director of silviculture research at GreenWood Resources, who will lead a field tour of research being conducted to improve both poplar yields and production costs. He will cover poplar hybrids, biomass trials, clonal blocks, the coppice system and harvesting.

Patricia Townsend, AHB regional extension specialist and educator, WSU Extension, with an overview of the project including the four poplar demonstration sites, the history of the Hayden site and the role of project partners.

 

Contact:
Betsy Fradd, Advanced Hardwood Biofuels, 253-241-5043, bfradd@wsu.edu