Posted: 11.29.2011

Wisconsin has positioned itself to be a national leader in planting and harvesting biomass crops while protecting and sustaining the state’s precious natural resources, thanks to the recent release of voluntary, science-based biomass cropping guidelines.

The document, “Wisconsin Sustainable Planting and Harvesting Guidelines for Nonforest Biomass”, is the result of a two year joint project conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) and the Wisconsin Bioenergy Council.

Scott Hull, WDNR wildlife research scientist calls the guidelines the nation’s first document detailing recommendations for multiple biomass crops that encompass both the field and watershed scales. Hull also chaired the technical team that developed the guidelines.

The guidelines will help users make informed decisions about bioenergy production on Wisconsin’s public and private lands while also helping to shape future bioenergy policy decisions. They will not only sustain the resources but benefit them as well.

 “Wisconsin is very well positioned to be a leader in the biomass and bioenergy arena”, according to DATCP Bioenergy Policy Advisor Sara Walling. “These guidelines will help assure that we do so sustainably.”

The document focuses on site and crop selection and management guidelines for sustainable biomass planting and harvest on perennial grasslands, non-forest tree and shrublands, wetlands, and agricultural crop residue.  Energy products made from biomass include biodiesel, gasoline, ethanol, charcoal, syngas, bio-coal, and power and heat from direct combustion.  Expansion of the biomass energy industry has the potential to benefit Wisconsin’s water resources, wildlife habitat, and agricultural sectors by reducing erosion, providing a market for materials removed during habitat management activities, expanding markets for agricultural products, creating jobs and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. 

These guidelines were developed using cutting-edge, scientific knowledge and have gone through scientific review and public comment with the help of Wisconsin Bioenergy Council members. "Central to our mission to build a biomass market in Wisconsin and the Midwest is respecting and maintaining our state's natural resources and rich agricultural history," said Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative Director Gary Radloff. "The research efforts of UW-Madison agronomy and soil science experts helped ensure that the harvesting and cropping practices are sustainable and promote environmental benefits." 

These guidelines also have the potential to help Wisconsin’s bioeconomy, says Jamie Derr, co-chair of the Wisconsin Bioenergy Council. “As a landowner and producer, these guidelines will be extremely valuable in helping farmers make sound biomass cropping decisions.”

The guidelines will be revised approximately every two years as new scientific information becomes available. The complete document is available on DATCP’s Wisconsin Bioenergy Council website, http://datcp.wi.gov/uploads/About/pdf/WI-NFBGuidelinesFinalOct2011.pdf, or at the Wisconsin Grasslands Bioenergy Network, www.wgbn.wisc.edu. 

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