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Forests
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Forest Biomass Utilization: Implications for Global Sustainable Development
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Forest Biomass Utilization: Implications for Global Sustainable Development

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Wood Science and Forest Products".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 January 2026 | Viewed by 4621

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Gloria Oporto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6125, USA
Interests: biomaterials from lignocellulosic sources; novel composites; nano-biocomposites; engineered wood-based composites; forest resources in US history
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forest biomass utilization has significant implications for global sustainable development across environmental, economic, and social dimensions. Utilizing forest biomass sustainably presents both opportunities and challenges in the transition towards renewable and low-carbon energy sources. From an environmental perspective, responsible forest biomass utilization can contribute to mitigating climate change by substituting fossil fuels with biomass-derived energy, and/or using mass timber products as carbon sequesters. Economically, forest biomass utilization creates jobs in the forestry, processing, and bioenergy sectors. On a social level, biomass utilization can enhance energy security and access, particularly in rural and remote areas where conventional sources may be limited. The main challenges include ensuring biomass extraction does not exceed forest regeneration rates, protecting biodiversity, and addressing land-use conflicts. Policy frameworks are crucial to promoting sustainable practices, including robust regulations, incentives for sustainable forestry, and investment in research and development for efficient forest biomass utilization technologies. This Special Issue aims to provide an overview of the most recent advances in the field of forest biomass and their applications in diverse areas, keeping in mind the concept of global sustainable development.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Mass timber products and developments;
  • Biochar applications;
  • Sustainable Forestry;
  • Bioenergy;
  • Biomass forestry applications in rural areas;
  • Forest ecosystem for sustainable forest biomass;
  • Carbon sequestration and carbon credits;
  • Sustainable management of forest resources ;
  • Future perspectives for forest biomass.

Dr. Gloria Oporto
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • forest biomass
  • bioenergy
  • engineered wood composites
  • engineered wood products
  • biochar
  • wood products market
  • carbon sequestration
  • carbon credits

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 16927 KiB  
Article
Unlocking the Main Factors Affecting the Strength and Stability of Yellow Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) After a Mild and Environmentally Friendly Densification Process
by Balazs Bencsik, Levente Denes, Joseph McNeel, Luke Chaddock and Gloria S. Oporto
Forests 2025, 16(2), 323; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16020323 - 12 Feb 2025
Viewed by 621
Abstract
The densification of yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) has emerged as a critical area of research, driven by its desirable properties and broad potential applications. This study investigated the effects of four densification parameters using a 24 full factorial design to [...] Read more.
The densification of yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) has emerged as a critical area of research, driven by its desirable properties and broad potential applications. This study investigated the effects of four densification parameters using a 24 full factorial design to evaluate their impact on physical and mechanical properties. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pareto analyses identified the compression ratio as the most influential factor, significantly affecting bending strength, compression strength, hardness, and spring-back behavior. Pressing temperature was the second most significant factor, with higher levels positively impacting mechanical properties. However, increasing the pre-steaming treatment duration from 30 to 60 min at 130 °C had a detrimental effect on strength and spring-back performance, particularly at a 50% compression ratio. Pressing time showed no significant effect on strength properties but contributed positively to hardness and spring-back behavior at higher levels. Several significant factor interactions were observed, further influencing the outcomes. Differences in density profiles were notable across compression ratios, with higher ratios producing more uniform distributions. Under optimal parameters, densification increased compression strength by 117%, bending strength by 60%, and hardness by 154% compared to undensified control samples, demonstrating the potential of densified yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) for high-performance applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Biomass Utilization: Implications for Global Sustainable Development)
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Review

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31 pages, 2773 KiB  
Review
Actualized Scope of Forestry Biomass Valorization in Chile: Fostering the Bioeconomy
by Cecilia Fuentalba, Victor Ferrer, Luis E. Arteaga-Perez, Jorge Santos, Nacarid Delgado, Yannay Casas-Ledón, Gastón Bravo-Arrepol, Miguel Pereira, Andrea Andrade, Danilo Escobar-Avello and Gustavo Cabrera-Barjas
Forests 2025, 16(8), 1208; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16081208 - 23 Jul 2025
Viewed by 498
Abstract
Chile is among the leading global exporters of pulp and paper, supported by extensive plantations of Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus spp. This review synthesizes recent progress in the valorization of forestry biomass in Chile, including both established practices and emerging bio-based applications. It [...] Read more.
Chile is among the leading global exporters of pulp and paper, supported by extensive plantations of Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus spp. This review synthesizes recent progress in the valorization of forestry biomass in Chile, including both established practices and emerging bio-based applications. It highlights advances in lignin utilization, nanocellulose production, hemicellulose processing, and tannin extraction, as well as developments in thermochemical conversion technologies, including torrefaction, pyrolysis, and gasification. Special attention is given to non-timber forest products and essential oils due to their potential bioactivity. Sustainability perspectives, including Life Cycle Assessments, national policy instruments such as the Circular Economy Roadmap and Extended Producer Responsibility (REP) Law, are integrated to provide context. Barriers to technology transfer and industrial implementation are also discussed. This work contributes to understanding how forestry biomass can support Chile’s transition toward a circular bioeconomy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Biomass Utilization: Implications for Global Sustainable Development)
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32 pages, 1661 KiB  
Review
Modelling Wood Product Service Lives and Residence Times for Biogenic Carbon in Harvested Wood Products: A Review of Half-Lives, Averages and Population Distributions
by Morwenna J. Spear and Jim Hart
Forests 2025, 16(7), 1162; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16071162 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 401
Abstract
Timber and other biobased materials store carbon that has been captured from the atmosphere during photosynthesis and plant growth. The estimation of these biogenic carbon stocks in the harvested wood products (HWP) pool has received increasing attention since its inclusion in greenhouse gas [...] Read more.
Timber and other biobased materials store carbon that has been captured from the atmosphere during photosynthesis and plant growth. The estimation of these biogenic carbon stocks in the harvested wood products (HWP) pool has received increasing attention since its inclusion in greenhouse gas reporting by the IPCC. It is of particular interest for long service life products such as timber in buildings; however, some aspects require further thought—in particular the handling of service lives as opposed to half-lives. The most commonly used model for calculating changes in the HWP pool uses first order decay based on half-lives. However other approaches are based on average service lives and estimates of residence times in the product pool, enabling different mathematical functions to be used. This paper considers the evolution of the two concepts and draws together data from a wide range of sources to consider service life estimation, which can be either related to design life or practical observations such as local environmental conditions, decay risk or consumer behaviour. As an increasing number of methods emerge for calculating HWP pool dynamics, it is timely to consider how these numerical inputs from disparate sources vary in their assumptions, calculation types, accuracy and results. Two groups are considered: half-lives for first order decay models, and service life and residence time population distributions within models based on other functions. A selection of examples are drawn from the literature to highlight emerging trends and discuss numerical constraints, data availability and areas for further study. The review indicated that issues exist with inconsistent use of nomenclature for half-life, average service life and peak flow from the pool. To ensure better sharing of data between studies, greater clarity in reporting function types used is required. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Biomass Utilization: Implications for Global Sustainable Development)
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19 pages, 3203 KiB  
Review
Wood-Based Bioenergy in North America: An Overview of Current Knowledge
by Bharat Sharma Acharya, Pradip Saud, Sadikshya Sharma, Gustavo Perez-Verdin, Donald L. Grebner and Omkar Joshi
Forests 2024, 15(9), 1669; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15091669 - 22 Sep 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2177
Abstract
Policy priorities for wood-based bioenergy in North America have undergone fluctuations over time, influenced significantly by the dynamic interplay of sociopolitical factors. Recent years, however, have seen a renewed public interest in wood-based bioenergy in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This resurgence [...] Read more.
Policy priorities for wood-based bioenergy in North America have undergone fluctuations over time, influenced significantly by the dynamic interplay of sociopolitical factors. Recent years, however, have seen a renewed public interest in wood-based bioenergy in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This resurgence is driven by fluctuating energy prices and growing concerns about climate change. This review provides an overview of current energy production and consumption scenarios, and highlights critical issues related to the sustainability of bioenergy feedstocks and their economic potential across the three North American countries. Different cross-cutting issues related to public health, climate change, and social acceptance of wood-based bioenergy are thoroughly examined. Within this context, several challenges have been identified, including uncertainties in climate projections, inadequate tree inventories beyond forestlands, deforestation concerns, technological shifts in wood processing, fluctuations in bioenergy demand, and the imperative need for access to reliable markets. Addressing these challenges requires increased research and investment in wood-based energy to enhance energy security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve economic and social viability in bioenergy production. This proactive approach is vital for fostering a sustainable and resilient wood-based bioenergy sector in North America. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Biomass Utilization: Implications for Global Sustainable Development)
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