	Tree Farmer Alert
	Wednesday, November 7, 2012 Over 700 readers and growing!

Colorado Tree Farmers are a network of land- owners that share forestry resources.

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WOODY BIOMASS

An Idea Too Big to Fail

By Barbara Coyner
from TIMBERWEST

Because the government is able to pick winners and losers in power generation by use of subsidies and taxation, some questions arise. Could the government perhaps loosen its grip on federal timber, making more woody biomass available? And could contractors possibly receive better tax breaks for bringing biomass to market? Some of this is being done now on a limited scale, but with the byproduct of healthier, more fire-resistant forests as part of the bargain, it stands to reason that there should be even more done to promote woody biomass power.

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2012 Colorado Forest Health Summit

by John Scarffe
from THE MOUNTAIN-EAR NEWSPAPER ™

Members of three panels shared their expertise during the 2012 Statewide Forest Summit at the History Colorado Center in Denver on Friday morning, Oct. 12. Organized by the Department of Natural Resources, the morning’s seminar was divided into opening remarks from state and national leaders and then the three panels addressing state and federal policy, industry and wood products and then restoration and community efforts.

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Protecting Your Home From Wildfire:

Creating Wildfire-Defensible
Space Zones

As more people choose to live in areas prone to wildfire, additional homes and lives are potentially threatened every year. Firefighters always do their best to protect rural residents, but ultimately, it is YOUR responsibility to protect your life, family, animals and property from wildfire. The information contained in this document is for use by individual landowners to help reduce wildfire risk on their property

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Question: Is lumber grading a roadblock to recovery?

I have been talking to a couple of local loggers and lumber mills about locally cut lumber and on top of any logistical problems they encounter is the problem that their lumber cannot be sold for structural purposes without an expensive lumber inspection stamp. This really limits their markets and keeps our fire and beetle-killed trees rotting on the stump.

Do you know if there is any movement in Colorado make this inspection process easier? A little research shows that Wisconsin has created a program to do this: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/forestbusinesses/documents/lmbrgrdnghndbk.pdf

Thanks, Dan Groen

Got a question about your woods?

You can find the answers to many of your questions on our website, www.treefarmer.com, but that's a big place. If you get lost, write us and we'll help you find the answers.

We're your neighbors just down the road, behind the green and white Tree Farm signs and we care about what's happening in our forests.

Send your questions to stumpmaker@gmail.com

Join Us if you would like to go on our tours, question our experts, or share information on forest ecology and forest management with our members

Landowners who attend one of our tours in 2012 will receive the Colorado Tree Farmer's forest management manual, "Saving Your Forest". Currently certified Tree Farmers can get a manual by bringing a neighbor or friend to one of our tours.