The importance of biomass in forest management LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

NIGERIA
 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Growth in the renewable energy sector has been spurred by the need to reduce greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions, and by technological advances and decreased production costs [1]. Fourteen
percent of energy consumed globally in 2017 was from biomass, making it by far the largest
form of renewable energy (i.e. 96% of heat and 9% of electrical production [2]). More than 85%
of this biomass came from forests or the forest industry [2], which is similar to the proportion in
2014 (87%) when the forest biomass supply (derived from [3]) consisted of fuelwood (77%),
charcoal (8%), recovered wood (7%), conventional (or traditional) forest product manufacturing
residues (7%) and forest harvest residues (1%). Although the global proportion of the latter two
is small, in 2016 approximately 25% of Swedish energy was produced from a wide range of
forestry feedstocks [4], and solid wood fuels accounted for 15% of Finnish energy consumption
[5]. Growth in bioenergy use is projected to increase sharply over the next several decades [6] to
meet requirements for greater proportions of energy from renewable sources (e.g. [7]), which
will undoubtedly increase demand for bioenergy feedstocks from forestry.
Furthermore, forest biomass can be co-managed with conventional timber [14] to create
bioenergy feedstock from material that might otherwise be burned on-site or left to decompose
[10], or removed to reduce fuel loading in fire-prone areas [10, 11, 15, 16] or facilitate replanting
of harvested sites. Where there are markets, forest harvest residues can increase the economic
value of products from managed forests, and may also stabilize carbon (C) stocks in fire-prone
forests [17] and thus prevent conversion of some forest land to other land uses because of the
value of these C stocks [18].
The carbon dioxide (CO2) level of the atmosphere has been altered as a result of human
activities leading to the rise in global temperature and its attended consequences (Sandberg,
2013). Forest ecosystems as with vegetation in general are excellence sink of CO2, they mop
up CO2 that would otherwise be present in the atmosphere through the process of
photosynthesis (Wani, et al., 2012). Large quantities of biomass are stored in stable
(undisturbed) forest ecosystem compared to agriculture and other system (Devagiri et al.,
2013) thereby generating a considerable interest in forest ecosystems. Biomass can be
defined as the organic material that has been generated and accumulated above and
belowground in the forest ecosystem, expressed as mass per unit area (FAO, 2004). The
aboveground biomass of the forest which is mainly made up of trees accounts for a large
proportion of the total tree biomass (ICCP, 2006) as such majority of biomass estimation
studies are concentrated on the aboveground biomass (Samalca, 2007).
IPCC (2006). Guidelines for National Greenhouse gas inventories. Vol. 4. Agriculture,
forestry and other land use (AFLOLU), Institute for Global Environmental Strategies,
Haryana, Japan, 2006.
FAO, (2004). Assessing carbon stocks and modelling win–win scenarios of carbon
sequestration through land-use changes. Rome:http://www.foa.org
Devagiri, G. M., Money, S., Sarnam singh, V. K., Dadhawal, P. P., Khaple, A.,
Devakumar, A. S and Hubballi, S. (2013). Assessment of above ground biomass and
carbon pool in different. vegetation types of south western part of Karnataka, India using
spectral modeling Tropical Ecology 54(2): 149-165, 2013
Sandberg, G. (2013). Estimation of Forest Biomass and Faraday Rotation using Ultra High
Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar. Thesis for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
Department of Earth and Space Sciences Chalmers University of Technology Gothenburg,
Sweden pp 52
Salmaca I.K. (2007). Estimation of Forest Biomass and its Error: A Case Study in
Kalimantan, M.Sc. thesis, University of Twente, Faculty of geo-information science and earth
observation, Enschede, the Netherlands Pp 74.
Wani, A.A., Joshi, P.K., Singh, O. and Pandey, R (2012). Carbon Inventory Methods in
Indian Forests - A Review: International Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 2(6): 315-323

1.2 Statement of Problem

Biomass energy production can lead to issues such as land degradation, land competition,
resource depletion, deforestation, food security, and biodiversity loss (Müller et al., 2015).
Moreover, biomass energy production can impact fossil energy usage as well as CO2
emissions into the atmosphere. Therefore, the production of biomass energy significantly
affects the ecosystem. The removal of forest for the production of energy crops can also
increase greenhouse gases; 25 to 30 percent of greenhouse gases released each year are a
result of deforestation.

Mitigating these agricultural risks and impacts hinges on sustainable harvesting practices
and responsible land use.

Volume 138, 1 November 2017, Pages 721-727

Analyzing the effects of real income and biomass energy consumption on carbon
dioxide (CO2) emissions: Empirical evidence from the panel of biomass-consuming
countries

Eyup Dogan a, Roula Inglesi-Lotz b

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of this study is to assess the importance of biomass in forest mangement. The specific
objectives are:

i. Explore the various types of biomass found in forests.

ii. To examine the role of biomass in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation.
iii. To determine the potential uses of biomass in forest management, such as bioenergy
production and sustainable timber harvesting.

1.4 Research Questions

i. What are the various types of biomass found in the forest?

ii. What role does biomass play in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation?
iii. What are the potential uses of biomass in forest management?
1.5 Hypothesis

H01: Biomass has no significant role to play in carbon sequestration and climate change
mitigation.
1.6 Justification of the Study

Restoring the functions of disturbed forest to mitigation climate change is a

main topic of policy makers. Better understanding of factors that directly
influence post-disturbance forest biomass recovery is urgently needed to
guide forest restoration and management.

1.7 Scope of the study

The study covers Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State. It is limited to the
beekeepers who derive social and economic benefits from beekeeping thereby, depending it for
their livelihood.
 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Biomass and Bioenergy

Biomass is organic matter of recent origin produced directly or indirectly by living organisms.
The biomass in plant matter is produced by the process of photosynthesis in which carbon
dioxide and water from the environment are converted, using energy from sunlight, into the
carbohydrates (sugars, starches, cellulose and lignin) that constitute the plant. Animals which
feed on the plants and/or other animals are also a form of biomass, as is the organic waste
produced by these animals.
The energy in the sunlight is thus stored as chemical energy in the various forms of biomass.
Biomass may then be regarded as an energy resource which can be used to provide heat,
electricity and transport fuels for humankind and includes wood from plantation forests,
residues from forest production and the timber industry, residues from agricultural production,
vegetable oils, animal fats and organic wastes from industry, animal husbandry and human
settlements.
Biofuels are solid, liquid or gaseous fuels made from the wide range of organic materials
identified as biomass. Some biofuels such as wood and fibrous materials may be used directly
as fuel sources with little processing, whereas other biofuels are obtained indirectly from the
biomass through an appropriate conversion technology to provide the energy in a form more
convenient to deliver the required energy service. Bioenergy is the term commonly used to
refer to the chemical energy stored in biofuel.

Biomass and Sustainability

Biomass is a renewable energy resource, is widely distributed in its various forms and offers
the potential for a sustainable energy resource if managed correctly. The sustainability of the
biomass resource depends on how rapidly the biomass is regenerated relative to its rate of
consumption in meeting energy and other demands placed on the resource.
The use of waste materials such as agricultural and municipal wastes as biofuels contributes
to sustainability development since this use offers an alternative to disposal in landfills. The
value of the biofuel as an energy resource will offset to some extent the relatively high costs of
collection often ascribed to the handling of these waste materials.
When biomass is cofired with coal in an existing coal-fired installation, the biomass offers a
number of benefits. The use of biomass can significantly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions
per unit of electricity sent out. It can lead to reductions in the emissions of the oxides of sulfur
and nitrogen, and it can assist with the disposal of solid waste by avoidance of landfilling and
the associated costs. The biomass fuel itself may be available as a lower-cost fuel compared
to coal. However, all potential benefits are site-specific and cost savings, in particular, need
to be evaluated carefully as the costs of biomass feedstock can vary over a wide range, and
transportation and handling costs can make even zero cost wastes expensive at the power
station gate.
Other reasons for using biomass as a fuel source include: a diversified primary fuel mix, reduced
dependence on imported fuel resources and security of fuel supplies.
However, the energy density of biomass is low when compared to coal and other fossil fuels.
Even when dry, biomass has a heating value much less than a black coal and is somewhat
closer to a brown coal. The moisture content of biomass can be high and thus the biomass may
require drying before combustion otherwise efficiencies of the energy conversion processes
will be low. Drying is an energy-intensive process and from a sustainability viewpoint is best
done using the natural drying process from the wind and sun. However, this may not be feasible
when the biomass is being used at high rates of consumption or in wet, humid climates.
(Baxter 2004; Baxter and Koppejan 2005; Stucley et al. 2004; van Loo & Koppejan 2002)

Baxter, L 2004, Biomass cofiring overview, 2nd World Biomass Conference, Workshop 4: The
status of biomass/coal cofiring, Organised by IEA BioenergyTask 32: Biomass Combustion and
Cofiring, Rome, 14 May 2004, <www.ieabcc.nl>.
Baxter, L & Koppejan, J 2005, Biomass-coal co-combustion: opportunity for affordable
renewable energy, Fuel, 84(10), 1295–1302
Stucley, CR, Schuck, SM, Sims, REH, Larsen, PL, Turvey, ND & Marino, BE 2004, Biomass
energy production in Australia: Status, costs and opportunities for major technologies, RIRDC
Publication 04/031, Project N0 EPL-1A, RIRDC, Barton, ACT.
van Loo, S & Koppejan J. 2002, Biomass combustion and cofiring handbook, Twente
University press, Enschede, the Netherlands.
sustainable forestry
Sustainable forestry is a vital part of the fight against climate change and making sure
future generations can enjoy all the benefits that forests and trees bring. Overall, the
number of forests on the planet is constantly decreasing. But a sustainable approach to
forest management can change that and bring environmental, social and economic
benefits to communities across the world. This first definition was based on the principle of
sustainable forest yield, with the main goal being sustained timber production, and it was
assumed that if stands that are suitable for timber production are sustained, then non wood
forest products will also be sustained (Peng, 2000).

Sustainable forestry techniques recognise that forests are a resource that can be used
responsibly and bring long-term benefits. In many places, we see forests poorly
managed in an unsustainable manner, which leads to a huge reduction in the number of
trees. In some cases, poor forest management can see forests disappear completely.

Implementing sustainable forestry practices is crucial for the responsible utilization of biomass
resources. Sustainable forestry aims to preserve forestlands while benefiting from their
resources in a responsible manner. It involves practices that protect forests from conversion to
other land uses, such as agriculture, urbanization, and industrialization. By adopting sustainable
forestry management, forests can continue to provide oxygen, habitats for species, and
livelihood opportunities for people. (Wang and Wilson, 2007).

In terms of how it works, trees do a great job of binding carbon from the Earth’s
atmosphere as part of the photosynthesis process. What’s more, that carbon stays
locked in the wood for many decades, even when it is cut and turned into timber through
sustainable forestry practices.

Peng, C. (2000). Understanding the role of forest simulation models in sustainable forest
management. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Vol 20, pp. 481- 501.

Wang, S. & Wilson, B. (2007). Pluralism in the economics of sustainable forest management.
Forest Policy and Economics, Vol. 9, pp. 743-750.

Efficient Harvesting Techniques

Implementing efficient harvesting techniques is essential for maximizing the availability of

biomass for energy production. These techniques involve careful planning and execution to
minimize waste and environmental impact. By optimizing the harvesting process, the continuous
and reliable supply of biomass can be ensured.

Biomass Plantations

Establishing biomass plantations can contribute to a sustainable supply of biomass for energy
generation. These plantations can be strategically designed and managed to provide a
dedicated source of biomass while minimizing the impact on natural forests. By cultivating
biomass crops in a sustainable manner, the availability and quality of biomass for energy
production can be improved.
 Biomass is increasingly used to displace nonrenew-able resources (especially fossil fuels) in
response to energyand climate policies (Guo, Song, & Buhain, 2015). As bio-mass resources
are of major significance for the economy,business, and industry in many countries, biomass
use alsoincreases in response to policies intending to promote innova-tion and growth in
industries toward a more sustainable soci-ety. Bioenergy is often assigned an important role in
thefuture energy mix and is proposed to contribute to improvedenergy security, climate change
mitigation, rural development,and other social and economic objectives (Souza, Victoria,Joly, &
Verdade, 2015).

Biomass resources in Nigeria Biomass feedstocks can be obtained from two principal different
categories: conventional agricultural products such as sugar- or starch-rich crops, and
oilseeds; and lignocellulosic products and residues (Girard and Fallot, 2006). Lignocellulosic
feedstocks (such as trees, shrubs, grasses, agricultural and forest residues) are potentially
more abundant and cheaper than feedstock from conventional agriculture because they
can be produced with fewer resources and on marginal and poor lands. Also, agricultural
and forest residues are currently available from current harvesting activities without the
need for additional land cultivation. The type of biomass resource available in Nigeria varies
with climatic region in the country. For example the rain forest zone will generate the
highest quantity of woody biomass while savannah zones will generate more crop
residues (Olaoye, 2011). Major classifications on these are presented subsequently.

Girard P, Fallot A (2006). Review of existing and emerging technologies for the production of
biofuels in developing countries. Energy for Sustainable Development. 10(2):92-108.

Olaoye JO (2011). An analysis of the environmental impacts of energy crops in Nigeria towards
environmental sustainability. In: Ogunlela, AO (Ed) . Tillage for Agricultural Productivity and
Environmental Sustainability. Proceedings of Nigerian Branch of International Soil Tillage
Research Organization. pp. 204-212

Urban and wastes and other waste

These are wastes generated due to the daily activities of people and can be categorized
into municipal solid waste, sewage waste, food waste and fat, oil and grease. (i) Municipal
solid wastes: These are wastes generated by households and commercial concerns as a
result of population concentration and activities in urban areas. The generation of municipal
solid wastes increases with increasing human activities such as industrialization and
urbanization (Beukering et al., 1999; Pelling and Thomas-Hope, 1999). The municipal solid
wastes (MSW) in Nigeria contain all sources of unsorted wastes, such as commercial refuse,
construction and demolition debris, garbage, electronic wastes, which are dumped
indiscriminately on roadsides and any available open pits irrespective of the health implication
on people (Onwughara et al., 2010). (ii) Food industry wastes: Solid and liquid food wastes are
generated by the food industry, hotels and restaurant. These include foods that are not
up to the specified quality control standards, peelings and remains from crops, fruits and
vegetables. Restaurant and hotels contributions to the GDP of the country are on the
increase. With a population of 170 million, the wastes that are generated from the food industry
will be considerable. Presently, most solid wastes end in the waste dumps while the waste
water from food industries which contain sugars, starches and other dissolved and solid
organic matter usually constitute environmental pollution. These food wastes can be
anaerobically digested to produce biogas or fermented to produce ethanol. (iii) Industrial
wastewater/sewage sludge / biosolids: Large amounts of wastewater are discharged from
industries and may be organic or inorganic requiring each industry to develop different
methods of wastewater treatment depending on the characteristics and amount of
wastewater. These methods were classified by Bhattacharya et al. (2005) as: (a) Physical
unit processes (screening, mixing, flocculation, sedimentation, floatation, filtration) (b)
Chemical unit processes (precipitation, adsorption, disinfestations) (c) Biological unit
processes (aerobic processes, anaerobic processes, anoxic denitrification). Agro- industrial
by-products mainly after processing of crops may be radically different from the starting
crop. They may be rich in nitrogen (oil seed cakes, brewery and flour milling by-product)
and may be either low or high in fibre (sugar cane, palm press fibre). They are less widespread
geographically since they are produced at the factory sites (Smith, 1989). These can be
used be anaerobically digested to produce biogas which can be used to produce electricity.

Bhattacharya SC, Abdulsalam P, Runqing H, Somashekar HI, Racelis DA, Rathnasiri PG ,

Yingyuad R (2005). An assessment of the potential for non –plantation biomass
resources in selected Asian countries for 2010. Biomass Bioenergy. 29:153-166.

Smith OB (1989). Utilization of crops residues in the nutrition of sheep and goats in the humid
tropics of West Africa. In Atta Krah A.N and Reyholds L. Sheep and goat meat production in
the humid tropics of West Africa. Yamoussoukro 21-25

Beukering P, Sehker M, Gerlagh R, Kumar V (1999). Analyzing urban solid waste in developing
countries: a perspective on Banglore, India. Warmer Bull. 67: 8-10.

Pelling M, Thomas- Hope E (1999). Solid waste management: Critical issues for developing
countries. Third World Planning Review 21(1):109-110.

Onwughara IN, Nnorom IN, Kanno OC (2010). Issues of roadside disposal habit of
municipal solid waste environmental impacts and implementation of sound management
practices in developing country Nigeria. Int. J. Env. Sci. Dev. 1(5):409-418

Forest residues

The forest and wood processing residues estimated for Nigeria using 2010 production data. (i)
Logging residues: The average recovery factor of 60% as given by Koopmans and Koppejan
(1997) was used to generate the amount of logging residues in Nigeria. This generated residues
from solid wood (stumps, branches, leaves, defect logs, off-cuts) and saw dust of 1,367,400 m3
(9.54 MJ). (ii) Sawmilling: A yield factor of 38% solid wood waste (bark, slabs, edgings and
trimming) and 12% sawdust as given by Koopmans and Koppejan (1997) were used to
generate an estimate of 1,139,500 m3 (7.97 MJ) as potential residues for Nigeria in 2010
which can be used for bioenergy. (iii) Plywood production: Plywood production involves
cutting of logs to the required length and debarking logs. A recovery factor of 45% solid wood
residues consisting of log ends and trims, bark, log cores, green veneer waste, dry veneer
waste, trimmings and rejected plywood and sanding plywood dust of 5% as given by Koopmans
and Koppejan (1997) were used to generate 28,000 m3 (0.195 MJ) residues for Nigeria in
2010 which can be used for bioenergy. (iv) Particle board production: All types of wood can
be used for production of particle board. An estimation of 4000 m3 (27.90 KJ) was generated
for Nigeria based on residues factor of 10% as given by Koopmans and Koppejan (1997)
which can be used for bioenergy
Koopmans A, Koppeyan J (1997). Agricultural and forest residues - generation, utilization
and availability. Regional consultation on modern applications of biomass energy. 6-10
January. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Empirical review

Arodudu et al. (20202) Conventional biomass sources have been widely exploited
for several end uses (mostly food, feed, fuel and chemicals). More
unconventional sources are continually being sought for meeting the growing
planetary demands for biomass materials. Biofuels are already commercially
produced in many countries and are becoming mainstream. The role of
biorefineries for production of chemicals is also on the rise. Plant biomass is
the primary source of food for all multicellular living organisms. Primary
production remains a key link in the chain of life support on planet Earth. Is
there enough for all? What new strategies (or technologies) are available or
promising for providing plant biomass in a safe and sustainable way? What
are the potential impacts (footprints and efficiencies) of such strategies? What
can be the limiting factors—land, water, energy and nutrients? What might be
the limits for specific regions (OECD vs. non-OECD, advanced vs. developing,
dry and warm vs. wet and cool, etc.). In this paper, we provided answers to
these questions by critically reviewing the pros and cons associated with
current and future production and use pathways for biomass. We conclude
that in many cases, the jury is still out, and we cannot come to a solid verdict
about the future of biomass production and use.
Simonyan, and Fasina, (2013) Energy is crucial to the wellness of humans and to a country's
economic development. Unfortunately, Nigeria is challenged with low availability of electricity in
rural areas and with frequent power outages and unreliability in the urban centers. Energy from
biomass can potentially be an alternative approach to solving the country’s electricity problem.
Our estimation shows that Nigeria is capable of producing 2.01 EJ (47.97 MTOE) of energy
from the 168.49 million tonnes of agricultural residues and wastes that can potentially be
generated in a year. Converting the huge quantities of biomass resources to electricity
will increase the energy supply, energy mix and balance of Nigeria. This paper reviewed the
biomass resources available in Nigeria and the potential of generating electricity from them.
It also evaluated various biomass energy conversion technologies and the application of these
technologies to developing countries such as Nigeria. The benefits, challenges and
research gaps in bioenergy utilization were also explored.

Simonyan, K. J. and Fasina, O. (2013). Biomass resources and bioenergy potentials in Nigeria.
African Journal of Agricultural Research, Vol. 8(40), pp. 4975-4989,

Arodudu, O., Holmatov, B. & Voinov, A. (2020). Ecological impacts and limits of
biomass use: a critical review. Clean Techn Environ Policy 22, 1591–1611