Cost of Removing and Assembling Biomass from Rangeland Encroaching Eastern Redcedar Trees for Industrial Use

Abstract

Eastern redcedar trees have encroached on Great Plains grasslands and are spreading at a glacial pace, reducing forage production, destroying native ecosystems, and producing human health harming allergens. The study was conducted to determine the expected cost to deliver a flow of feedstock to an optimal factory location for a business designed to use eastern redcedar biomass harvested from grasslands. Proportion of trees available for removal, quantity of feedstock required, harvest costs, and tree growth rate are critical factors. Assuring investors that a flow of eastern redcedar trees for industrial use would be attainable for 20 years at a reasonable cost may be challenging. © 2017 The Society for Range Management