gis.Open Paper

Seite drucken

ArcGIS Tool “Biomass Cost Analyst” Enhances Biomass Quantification and Forest Management in Fairbanks, Alaska (USA)

Fairbanks Forestry needs to provide a recently opened pellet mill with 405 hectares of woody biomass annually, at a price of 43 USD or less per ton. Is Fairbanks Forestry able to provide the required biomass? The developed ArcGIS tool “Biomass Cost Analyst” gives answers. A price per ton of woody biomass was calculated for each timber stand. This was done by using the Fairbanks forest inventory database, by determining several cost parameters, and then processing this data with a tool created for use in ArcGIS. Development of the tool was carried out by creating a model with the ModelBuilder in ArcGIS Desktop 10. The model is composed of a main model and submodel. The submodel is necessary to facilitate the use of iteration. In addition, a python script tool was created for the submodel. At the 43 USD per ton limit, there are approximately 24,000 hectares, with more than 2.4 million tons of woody biomass, available. The majority of the acreage is comprised of birch and aspen stands, with the strata Birch Closed 26%, and Aspen Closed 25%. Currently, the pellet mill mainly uses white spruce, of which there is only a small amount available.

Autor / Author: Strötz, Ulrich
Institution / Institution: HNE Eberswalde, Germany
Seitenzahl / Pages: 10
Sprache / Language: Englisch
Veröffentlichung / Publication: GI_Forum 2012: Geovisualization, Society and Learning
Tagung / Conference: GI_Forum 2012 – Symposium and Exhibit GIScience & Technology/Learning with GI
Veranstaltungsort, -datum / Venue, Date: Salzburg, Austria 03-07-12 - 06-07-12
Schlüsselwörter (de):
Keywords (en): biomass, cost-distance, model
Paper review type: Full Paper Review
DOI:
692 -