For Maine landowners and logging companies, turning forest materials into energy begins with a practical challenge: harvesting and transporting the wood at a reasonable cost.
Researchers from the University of Maine and the University of Maine at Fort Kent (UMFK) are studying how new technologies could make that process more efficient and environmentally sustainable.
The five-year study focuses on woody biomass — wood and other forest materials used to produce energy — and how it can be produced, harvested and transported more efficiently.
The $649,836 project is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture through its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. It is led by Libin Thaikkattil Louis, assistant professor of forestry at UMFK, in collaboration with UMaine School of Forest Resources faculty members Anil Raj Kizha and Adam Daigneault.
The research will examine how emerging technologies can improve the production, harvesting and transportation of woody biomass while supporting healthy forest ecosystems and sustainable economic growth.
The findings are expected to provide practical information for forest landowners, industry professionals and policymakers as the region transitions toward a more sustainable bioeconomy.
The project will support one master’s student and one doctoral student at UMaine, the state’s only R1 learner-centered university.
“Our forests play a vital role in supporting both the environment and the economy,” Louis said. “This research will help us better understand how emerging technologies can improve the efficiency of biomass supply chains while ensuring responsible forest management.
“By integrating ecological, economic and social considerations, we hope to provide stakeholders with the information they need to make informed decisions that support healthy forests and thriving rural communities.”
Louis, whose research focuses on sustainable forest management and timber-harvesting economics, earned his Ph.D. from UMaine.
The USDA-funded project is titled “Assessing Forest Readiness for Creating Efficient Biomass Supply Chains: Perceptions on Emerging and Innovative Technologies.”
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative is the nation’s leading competitive grants program supporting research, education and extension projects that address critical challenges facing agriculture, natural resources and rural communities.
Contact: Dave Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu
