ARS | Publication request: Description of clean chip residual forest harvest and its availability for horticultural uses in the southeastern United States

Submitted to: HortTechnology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: May 1, 2012
Publication Date: June 20, 2012
Repository URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/54205
Citation: Boyer, C.R., Gallagher, T.V., Gilliam, C.H., Fain, G.B., Torbert III, H.A., Sibley, J.L. 2012. Description of clean chip residual forest harvest and its availability for horticultural uses in the southeastern United States. HortTechnology. 23:381-387.

Interpretive Summary: Residual chipping material (also called clean chip residual or CCR) has potential use as a growth substrate in the nursery and greenhouse horticultural industries. A survey was conducted in the Southeast U.S. among companies conducting chipping operations on pine plantations for the production of pulpwood in the forest industry. Fourteen operators in four states (AL, MS, GA, FL) were visited to evaluate on-site status of residual material. Sample analysis of CCR was performed which revealed that CCR is composed of about 37.7% wood, 36.6% bark, 8.8% needles, and 16.9% indistinguishable (fine) particles. Survey participants estimated that approximately 27.5% of the site biomass is composed of CCR. Some growers were able to sell CCR as fuelwood to pulp mills while others did not recover the residual material, leaving it on the forest floor (44.3%). Operations in this survey included typical pine plantation chipping and grinding operations, woodyards and operations processing mixed material. Several loggers were interested in making CCR available to horticultural industries.

Technical Abstract: Residual chipping material (also called clean chip residual or CCR) has potential use as a growth substrate in the nursery and greenhouse horticultural industries. A survey was conducted in the Southeast U.S. among companies conducting chipping operations on pine plantations for the production of pulpwood in the forest industry. Fourteen operators in four states (AL, MS, GA, FL) were visited to evaluate on-site status of residual material. Sample analysis of CCR was performed which revealed that CCR is composed of about 37.7% wood, 36.6% bark, 8.8% needles, and 16.9% indistinguishable (fine) particles. Survey participants estimated that approximately 27.5% of the site biomass is composed of CCR. Some growers were able to sell CCR as fuelwood to pulp mills while others did not recover the residual material, leaving it on the forest floor (44.3%). Operations in this survey included typical pine plantation chipping and grinding operations, woodyards and operations processing mixed material. Several loggers were interested in making CCR available to horticultural industries.