The objective of this research program is to assess the potential of woody biomass and logging residues of beech and fir tree currently unexploited within forests, for the production of refined solid biomass fuel (wood pellets), as well as the determination of residue types and the percentage available for extraction without posing negative impact on the forest ecosystem.

The project consists of five (5) phases:

The first (1st) phase of the Project refers to the qualitative and quantitative attribution of the remaining logging residues after the extraction of timber products in beech and fir forests.

At the second (2nd) phase of the Project, the energy properties and both the individual and overall energy capacity of these will be determined for beech and fir logging residues.

At the third (3rd) phase of the Project, the potentials of beech and fir logging residues for the production of solid compact fuel (wood pellets) and the qualitative energy characteristics of these products will be evaluated.

At the fourth (4th) phase of the Project, inorganic and other nutritional components, which exist in main products of logging activities (technical woodcuts, industrial timber, firewood) and within logging residues of beech and fir forests will be determined. Additionally, the impact of partial extraction or extended canopy clearance on the productivity of the underlying soil will be assessed.

The fifth (5th) and last phase of the Project includes the dissemination of the Project’s results to both public and private sector bodies through the individual websites managed by collaborative bodies. Moreover, the results of the Project will be announced in meetings and conferences, and/or in specialized international journals, while through the collaboration between collaborative bodies and IBEC, special conference will be held where topics relative to forest biomass utilization will be announced in conjunction with the findings of the Project.

Contractor of the research program is the Laboratory of Forest Products Technology Faculty of Forestry & Natural Environment Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Tel.:+302310 992740, +302310998891, Fax: +302310992746, e-mail: jfilippo@for.auth.gr), with scientific coordinator Professor Ioannis Philippou.

Collaborative partners are Interbalkan Environment Center – iBEC (18 Loutron Str., P.C. 57200, Lagadas, Tel. & Fax: +30 2394023485, e-mail: info@i-bec.org ) and the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving (CRES) (19th km Marathonos Ave, 19009, Pikermi Attiki Greece, Tel.: +30210 6603300, Fax+30210 6603301/302, e-mail: cres@cres.gr)

The duration of the research program is twenty (20) months (5/2014-12/2015), with total budget 107.878,00€ and it is financed by the Green Fund.

Thessaloniki, 22 December 2015
Conference ««Leveraging forest biomass (logging residues) for production of wood pellets»

Invitation and Agenda in Greek

The objective of this Research Program is the development of fire indices, products and services related to the prevention of forest fires, as well as the estimation of impacts, with the use of Satellite Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems. The aim of the Project is to provide the Beneficiary and the Forestry Department in general, with a better strategy for addressing both the prevention of forest fires and the recovery of burnt areas through the initiation of NOFFi.

The project consists of five (5) phases:
The first (1st) phase of the Project refers to the mapping of forest fuel. The forest fuel map produced would be derived from the classification of satellite images by applying modern image analysis methods, such as object-oriented classification, with a view to identifying the fire fuel models of the Greek – Mediterranean region.
The second (2nd) phase of the Project, in which the burnt area mapping service will be developed, will be based on the implementation of automated object-oriented image analysis models and the use of satellite images acquired after large-scale fires by the Special Secretariat for Forests.
The third (3rd) phase of the Project includes the development of the operational forest fire risk index, which will be published both online and shared through SMS and e-mail to the Special Secretariat for Forests as well as the senior officials of the Regional Forest Services and Ranger Offices. For the development of this index, an algorithm which accounts for historic meteorological data and fire incidents of a given area will be constructed. Finally, the end value of the index will be defined by a range of selected parameters (topography, vegetation, accessibility etc.).
The information derived from the abovementioned procedure will on one hand be disseminated to anyone involved or to authorities expressing interests (Local Government Organizations, voluntary forest protection groups, NGO), and on the other enable the initiation of a consultation service among them through Public Participation GIS (PPGIS).
In the fourth (4th) phase of the Project, an internet portal will be created. It will be hosted at the Interbalkan Environment Center with a view to leveraging the products generated by the Project.
The fifth (5th) and last phase of the Project includes the dissemination of the Project’s results and the transfer of technical knowledge to the neighboring Balkan countries by means of the Interbalkan Environment Center.

Contractor of the research program is the Laboratory of Forest Management and Remote-Sensing, Faculty of Forestry & Natural Environment Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Tel.:+302310992699, Fax:+302310992731, e-mail: igitas@for.auth.gr), with scientific coordinator Professor Ioanni Gita.

Collaborative partner is the Interbalkan Environment Center – iBEC (18 Loutron Str., P.C. 57200, Lagadas, Tel. & Fax: +30 2394023485, e-mail: info@i-bec.org ).
The duration of the research program is thirty six (36) months (3/2014-02/2017), with total budget 208,044.00€ and it is financed by the Green Fund.