Anybody Need Some Aspen?

Rocky_Ranger · August 11, 2011, 10:49:51 PM

Wish we had a market here in Eastern Arizona, we got a "spit pot" full of the stuff we've lost in the fire..... I know markets are tough and fuel is tougher, still wish we could find some good use for it. I'd guess 5.0 MMbf will be available before it's all said and done; now I've said and am done. 8)

beenthere · August 11, 2011, 11:25:26 PM

Any estimate of the standing dead time that remains for that 5MMbf before it is "not usable" ?

I recall the Yellowstone fire that came East out of Yellowstone, and recovering the burned timber volumes just wasn't possible even in the good markets. Believe most was lodgepole. Long hauls to get that wood to the nearest sawmill which was maxed out on the volume it could process.

Maybe best use is not to spend big taxpayer $$$ on it at all, but let it revert quietly back to earth.

Bobus2003 · August 12, 2011, 02:05:07 AM

Quote from: beenthere on August 11, 2011, 11:25:26 PM
Any estimate of the standing dead time that remains for that 5MMbf before it is "not usable" ?

I recall the Yellowstone fire that came East out of Yellowstone, and recovering the burned timber volumes just wasn't possible even in the good markets. Believe most was lodgepole. Long hauls to get that wood to the nearest sawmill which was maxed out on the volume it could process.

Maybe best use is not to spend big taxpayer $$$ on it at all, but let it revert quietly back to earth.

I have been told that burned timber is no good after 6 months

SwampDonkey · August 12, 2011, 07:19:55 AM

As a low value species, it makes for good fertilizer. But, you can bet that the suckers will be starting by next season by the millions. ;D

Rocky_Ranger · August 12, 2011, 09:14:36 AM

Suckers are already starting - "zillions" of them (that's a whole bunch). Logs will probably be good until next summer - pretty dry country here and winters are normally cold. Elevation of most of this stuff is around 8500 - 9500 feet. We have lots of big Doug fir, P. pine, spruce too, some SW white pine; we will probably have some good luck with that, just wished we could do something with this aspen - it really is some pretty good stuff. We have to remove or at least fell the aspen along the roads due to safety, that somewhere between 25,000 and 40,000 acres worth of work.