Clearing denser parts of the forest prevents wildfires from getting out of hand -- one of the goals of the Four Forests Restoration Initiative, or 4FRI, of which Babbott is chairman. But he said in his written testimony that effort has only been able to clear 14,000 acres of its goal of 300,000 acres, in part because of a lack of a market for the forest waste collected. By contrast, he said, loggers have cleared six times as much forest near Snowflake because there is a biomass generator there that can burn the wood to generate electricity. “Biomass energy plays a significant role in the success rate of forest restoration in Arizona,” Babbott said, adding that it is the only viable option if the state hopes to reach its goal of clearing 30,000 to 50,000 acres per year. The coalition said in its letter that there are better solutions than collecting, shipping and burning forest waste.

Source: Daily Sun November 21, 2020 14:15 UTC