Introduction

The Fuels for Schools Program began in the West after the 2000 fire season. Following these fires, Congress passed the National Fire Plan, which was aimed at reducing wood that could possibly fuel fires and fire suppression. It included funds to help with small-diameter wood utilization, which is not as valuable to the wood industry, is fuel for fire and costly to dispose of. A community group saw the Fuels for Schools program that had started in Vermont as an example, and applied for funds from the Forest Service for the first school demonstration project in Darby, Mont. From there, a regional program was developed. It developed under the cooperative efforts of the USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry’s Economic Action Program, and the Bitterroot Resource Conservation and Development District. Funding came from the USDA Forest Service Economic Development Program. The Fuels for Schools Program was initiated in the States of Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, Nevada, and Utah. Since then, other states have also successfully completed projects that utilize wood energy for heating buildings.

The Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC) wanted a better understanding of the success of the Fuels for Schools Program, and other wood biomass projects in the western states. To accomplish this WFLC directed the Forest Resource Management Committee (FRMC) to develop a “Fuels for Schools and Beyond” status report summarizing projects that use wood for heat in the western states and territories, and the potential for future projects.

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From Wood Waste to Renewable Energy: