Recommendations on expanded uses of woody biomass for energy production, continued support for associated product and market research and development, identification of social and environmental benefits of woody biomass utilization, and resource inventory and monitoring.
Woody biomass used for energy production or energy substitution that is generated from forest product manufacturing, forest management, forest conservation and restoration treatments, forest salvage activities, and/or urban wood waste.
The Society of American Foresters (SAF) believes woody biomass used to produce energy is a key strategy in achieving net-zero emissions locally and globally. However, SAF asserts that biomass markets must complement, not replace, primary timber markets, including those for sawlogs and pulpwood. A sustainable biomass market cannot independently support the forest industry’s economic and environmental goals; it must operate in tandem with, and be secondary to, higher-value timber products. SAF strongly advocates for policies that promote markets for fuel, heat, and power from sustainably sourced woody biomass, contingent on the health and stability of primary timber markets across all landownerships in the United States. SAF also encourages continued investments in research and development of forest products to bolster these interdependent markets, recognizing that biomass depends on the infrastructure and profitability of merchantable log markets. Approved: February 2025