Assessment of Woody Biomass Availability from Surface Mining Operations in West Virginia

Gross biomass stocks were estimated during 2010 and 2011 on three areas to be surface mined in central West Virginia. Approximately 835 acres of forest lands had been harvested for merchantable timber on the study sites during 2009 and 2010, leaving wood fiber that was to be disposed of before mining. A total of 133 one-fifth-acre forest inventory plots were established to develop standing resource and logging residue estimates. The sampled plots were dominated by cucumber tree (Magnolia acuminatae), followed by red maple (Acer rubrum), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), and yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera). The average diameter of all standing trees was 7.9 inches, and the average merchantable height of all trees was 32.5 feet. Biomass availability per acre before grubbing operations was estimated to be 31.3 green tons/acre, including 17.0 green tons/acre standing trees and 14.4 green tons/acre logging residues. When the estimated availability of 31.4 green tons/acre is extrapolated to the entire surface mine permit area, the total amount of gross biomass resources available is 26,160.6 tons and, when expanded statewide, represents 352,619 tons. The results indicate that a significant amount of woody biomass is available during surface mining operations in West Virginia.