Michigan Forest Biomass Inventory

A Michigan Forest Biomass Information System will allow anyone to search for biomass information within a specific geographic area.

Research Question

To build a sustainable and economically viable biofuel industry in Michigan, it is necessary to know where biomass is located, what quantities are available and how the biomass is currently being used. This project is developing an inventory of Michigan biomass that includes information on each of these factors. The inventory data will be represented spatially, along with data on transportation, land ownership, and other variables of interest. The final product, a Forest Biomass Information System (FBIS), will allow users to search for biomass information within specific geographic areas of interest.

 

Research Approach

The USDA Forest Service collects data on biomass growth, removal, and uses through their Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program. This project will start with the FIA data for Michigan and transform it into a format and scale that will integrate with datasets on transportation, soils, and land ownership. All of this data will be compiled into an online interactive map that will allow users to query specific areas of the state to find biomass information.

 

Progress & Results

A Forest Biomass Information System has been created that makes it easy to query  Michigan biomass inventory data. Please see http://fbis.mtu.edu/ to explore this new tool. Final project reports are available below.

Final Project Reports:

Geospatial Forest Inventory Models for Michigan 

Forest Biomass Information System for Michigan 

Spatial Forest-Based Biomass Availability