2013 Volume 12 Pages 103-132
The purpose of this study was to develop a model to estimate the annual available amount of forest biomass resources under profitable forest management in the Nasushiobara city and Kanuma area of Tochigi prefecture, Japan. Economic balances regarding 60-year rotation were estimated based on two types of timber-harvesting systems (conventional operation system conducted by chainsaw and mini-forwarder, and mechanized operation system introducing processor and forwarder), and three types of forest biomass harvesting systems (normal extraction, landing sale, and no biomass extraction) in each subcompartment. The most economical timber and forest biomass harvesting system for each subcompartment was applied. As a result, the number of profitable, nonprofitable, and roadless subcompartments were 1,801; 1,625; and 2,330 of the total 5,756 subcompartments in Nasushiobara city whereas they were 8,940; 3,014; and 20,897 of the total 32,851 subcompartments in the Kanuma area. Then, the annual available amount of forest biomass resources was estimated as the annual supply potential of profitable subcompartments. The annual available amount of the forest biomass resources was 7,805 m3/year and 50,313 m3/year in Nasushiobara city and Kanuma area, respectively. This available amount meets the annual demand of 6,000 m3/year of a 500 kW woody biomass power generation plant planned in Nasushiobara city, and the annual demand of 12,000 m3/year of a chip production factory in the Kanuma area.
