Wood biomass resource assessement according to data sources for central chernozyom zone - Статья

logging residues (branches and tops of the trees) - their share is 8-23% of the whole tree biomass (Filipchuk 2003). - stumps and stemwood damaged by logging operations, their proportion may reach up to 25% of the total tree biomass. - waste wood of processing companies. The amount of waste wood collected from mechanical wood processing is on the average 50-60% of the total volume. These wastes have become a real headache for many wood-processing companies because the waste utilization requires additional expenses negatively affecting the cost of production. Figure 2 Timber reserve in the Central Black Earth Zone, 1000m3 Monitoring of timber supply in different regions of this Zone proves that Voronezh region has the largest area of forest cover in the Central Black Earth Zone (387.3 thousand hectares, with total forest area 416.1 thousand hectares) (Table 1). In 2011, timber resources were estimated as 71.3 million m3. Forest stands are located in forest-steppe (72.6%) and steppe (27.4%) areas of European part of Russia. The distribution of forests on the territory of the Voronezh region is not homogeneous. The highest concentration of operating reserves (about 35%) is observed in the central Buturlinovsky, Vorontsovsky and Kalacheevsky forest districts, bordereding with each other (Figure 3). In terms of forest species composition in the region, the group of hardwoods (52.6% of total forest area) is dominating, while the share of coniferous and softwood stands constitutes accordingly only 28.5% and 17.6% (Figure 4). It should be noted that the intensity of forest usage for wood harvesting is well below its potential capabilities, because only selective sanitary cuttings are carried out in the stands. In particular, in 2010 the volume of harvested timber was 305,6 thousand m3, where 70% or 207 800 m3 accounted for low-grade wood. Such timber volumes were observed with a growing stock of 990 m3 and the estimated allowable cut of 547.7 thousand m3. This low harvesting efficiency causes accumulation of overmature low-grade stands, with inadequate protective properties. Figure 3 Distribution of timber reserve and potential energy wood (low-grade wood) in Voronezh region At the moment, private specialized firms concluding lease or concession contracts with forest district administration, carry out commercial activity associated with industrial harvesting and processing on these forest lands. Further development of timber industry complex of sparsely wooded region is aimed at strengthening of timber companies and firms, as well as on the innovative development of the industrial wood processing. Timber supply analysis as well as brief description of the forest complex and low level of rural areas gasification alongside with their consumption of coal and fuel oil (618 000 t) allows us to conclude that the wood potential of Voronezh region can make the wood waste utilization a highly profitable business.