On Thursday, May 25th, the Supreme Court voted to weaken the EPA’s ability to protect our nation’s critical wetlands and clean water. The Supreme Court’s decision exposes our communities to environmental injustices.
The Clean Water Act protects America’s:
Wetlands defend us from:
The conservative Supreme Court majority has rolled back long-standing rules. These rules were adopted to carry out the 51-year-old Clean Water Act effectively. Adding insult to injury, the court made this decision during American Wetlands Month. A time when we should be celebrating the beauty and importance of our wetlands.
Once again, our courts have given polluters the green light. Polluters are free to destroy vital wetlands. They’re free to leave our communities without the safety net that wetlands provide.
Wetland forests are among the most biodiverse forests in the world. They’re home to unique plants and animals. They even draw outdoor enthusiasts from all over the nation.
Our wetlands are in danger. Drinking water and flood protection for millions of Americans are at risk. We cannot let this happen.
Gloster, Mississippi – UK-based power company and wood pellet manufacturer, Drax, has been polluting the town of Gloster, Mississippi since it opened operations in 2015. The company was fined $2.5 million in 2021 for exceeding air permit limits. The Environmental Integrity Project made a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request. They uncovered that Drax is still emitting pollution beyond the legal limits for hazardous air pollutants during the years since that fine.
Janice Lyons, President of the Amite County NAACP chapter, said:
“Drax claims to be a good neighbor and to care about the environment. But they have been dumping toxics on us and making us sick since day one. This facility harms the development of our children, our economy, and our environment. Our community is tired of being treated as a dumping ground.”
On May 9th, more than 200 Gloster residents turned out for a community forum and site visit. US EPA, USDA, and MDEQ organized this to discuss concerns with the pollution linked to the Drax plant. This visit stemmed from the 2021 $2.5 million fine. This was an extraordinary turnout from such a small community. It’s a testament to how strongly residents feel about the environmental justice crisis in Amite County. Drax declined to attend.
While MDEQ was at the community forum, they knew the Drax facility was exceeding its air toxics and Hazardous Air Pollution limits. They knew it had been happening for at least two years. None of the agencies at the community forum mentioned this air pollution violation.
But they failed to disclose the violation with the public. It took the FOIA request to uncover the truth.
Kathy Egland of EEECHO and NAACP said:
“We are appalled that MDEQ did not share this information with the community immediately. To say nothing of failing to disclose it during a community forum dedicated to the topic of Drax’s impact on local air quality. It is disingenuous for MDEQ to not inform the people they’ve been entrusted to protect that they have been exposed to illegal levels of toxic pollution. This shows just whose interests they represent.”
This will be the second time the Drax Amite plant violated the Clean Air Act. The second time MDEQ has not been public about the information. Now Drax is applying for a permit simply to allow for this degree of air pollution.
MDEQ is not the only one withholding information. Dr. Krystal Martin and Kathy Egland traveled from Mississippi to London earlier this month. They delivered their community’s concerns directly to Drax. They spoke at the Annual General Meeting of the company. They sat down with Drax CEO Will Gardiner after the meeting.
They didn’t say a word despite receiving a violation two months earlier. The Yorkshire Post covered the visit. Drax representatives told them, “Drax is committed to being a good neighbor and the safety of our people and the communities where we operate is our priority.”
Dr. Krystal Martin of Ladybug Outreach in Gloster, MS said:
“The CEO of one of the largest power companies in the world told me that they invested $10 million in pollution control equipment as required by the state and was pretty sure that we are compliant now. So, Will Gardiner lied to us. He along with his board members continue to lie to the world about how burning forests and polluting Black, rural, and underserved communities is good for the planet.”
There is noise and air pollution in North Carolina. There are air quality violations in Georgia and Louisiana. This is proof that this industry must stop its expansion.
Dr. Treva Gear of Dogwood Alliance said:
“Drax and the wood pellet industry consistently fail pollution limits. State agencies across the South continually fail to stop them. With President Biden’s Executive Order on Environmental Justice, it is long past time for the EPA to take responsibility for regulating these industrial wood pellet facilities. Not just in Amite County, but across the US South.”
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There’s a lot of talk in the news and in conservation about mature and old-growth forests. You’ll sometimes see them abbreviated as MOG(F). But what exactly is old-growth forest, and do we really have any around here?
Old-growth forests are some of the most valuable ecosystems on the planet. They give a wide range of benefits to both the environment and local communities. Destroying old-growth can have devastating consequences. Let’s explore why old-growth forests are so important, and what we can do to help.
An old-growth forest is a forest that has reached its later stages of stand development. These forests tend to have:
Old-growth forests are habitat for many wildlife species. Therefore, they support high levels of biodiversity. Mature and older forests types have had time to go through ecological processes. These processes include floods, fires, strong winds, and even ice in the winter. These events are also known as “natural disturbances”. These events help to create “canopy gaps”. They weed out weaker or unlucky trees. Ultimately, they create the old-growth characteristics that we’re looking for.
This is in contrast to younger forests. Younger forests may have younger trees, poor quality soil, and not as many species. Large trees are few and far between. The canopy (the top of the forest) looks even and simple with lots of canopy gaps.
Unfortunately, there may be a lot of evidence of human disturbance in both young and old forests. Human disturbance can be remnants of housing or fences, trash and litter, or even damage to the trees.
You might see some folks refer to “virgin” forests when talking about old-growth. A virgin forest is defined as one that humans have never disturbed. Virgin forests are so rare in the US that they’re practically nonexistent.
Unfortunately, the logging industry argues that old-growth forests and virgin forests are the same thing. They go on to say that there’s no “true” old-growth left. And therefore, every forest can and should be logged. This dangerous argument causes logging in vulnerable habitats across the country.
From 1850 to about 1920, we deforested two-thirds of the Eastern US. This massive loss of forests means that many of our forests are a maximum of a hundred years old. That means that many forest types could just now be maturing into old-growth.
Unfortunately, much of the country has been repeatedly logged. This is especially true in the US South. Even so-called “responsible” forest management can leave behind ugly clearcuts. Clearcuts have dead, dry soil and total loss of animal life.
There are well-known old-growth forests in the Eastern US. You can find most of them in a national park. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, for example, has quite a bit of old-growth. Many protected forests in and near North Carolina do, too, including:
In addition to these well known forests, there are many others. Strongholds of old-growth forest still exist anywhere it’s challenging to clearcut. If we couldn’t get to it easily, it had a much better chance of developing old-growth conditions. Many hardwood forests occur on ancient mountains (near the Appalachian Trail, for example). These difficult landscapes contain potential or confirmed old-growth forests. But a mountain range isn’t the only safe harbor for old-growth.
Other places can and do have old-growth forests, including:
You can find undiscovered old-growth at higher elevations, in the middle of swamps, and far from roads. Old-growth can be found in the hills and the valleys, at low and high elevation. An old tree can be found just about anywhere. But finding a whole old-growth ecosystem can be challenging, especially in the US South.
Old-growth forests offer many benefits to both the environment and local communities. Perhaps what they’re best known for are carbon storage and wildlife habitat.
Old trees are world-renowned for carbon storage. Every living tree in old-growth forests is busy storing carbon year round. Every ton of carbon stored in a forest is one less in the atmosphere. (Side note: natural forests are among the best solutions to climate change.)
Old-growth forests are also great for wildlife habitat. Old-growth tends to have a lot of “microclimates.” These are little patches where the weather is cooler or warmer depending on the trees above. Microclimates support a wide range of plant and animal life. From shade-tolerant species to rare birds, old-growth is where it’s at.
Other old-growth benefits include:
There are so many benefits to old-growth forests, and we’re discovering more and more every year.
Destroying old-growth forests hurts everyone. It can:
The old-growth characteristics that protect these forests can also have a downside. For example, old-growth tends to be challenging to access (like on ancient mountains). Therefore, scientists can’t properly study the plant and animal life within. There may be undiscovered species lurking in old-growth that we just don’t know about. Many people believe that these forests are reservoirs for biological diversity. Our next cure for cancer could be in some moss, bacteria, or fungi only found in old-growth forests.
There are many conservation efforts to protect old-growth forests from destruction. Organizations like The Old-Growth Forest Network (OGFN) identify areas where old-growth still exists. Then, they work to protect these places from logging that could damage the special environments.
Unfortunately, in the US, this is challenging. Many people believe the lie that there are no old-growth forests in the Eastern United States. Or, they think that the only old-growth that we have left is confined to protected areas like the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
But National Parks are just the start of the old-growth story in the United States. Remember, old-growth forests can be cultivated through time. And many of our forests are almost at the old-growth threshold! There are some ways that we can support the growth of mature and older forests in the US.
Proforestation is the act of allowing forests to grow to maturity. Proforestation is a term that Dr. Bill Moomaw and colleagues coined in 2019. It’s a climate mitigation strategy that supports forests by leaving them alone. Radical, yet cost effective. We’ve written about proforestation a few times, and we’re behind it 100%. Proforestation is critical to ensuring a safe climate future.
President Biden has signed several executive orders about mature forests. One executive order focused on the value of old-growth. The other demanded that our natural resource agencies actually document where old-growth forests are located.
It’s a great start, but it’s not nearly enough. We need action to protect mature and old-growth forests now. Not decades from now. Here’s how you can help:
We all have a responsibility to protect our planet’s precious old-growth forests!
Take action today to tell your elected officials about the importance of mature forests.
When you think of the beauty of nature in the Southeastern United States, do you think of woodpeckers? You can find woodpeckers throughout the region. From the red-headed woodpecker to the giant pileated woodpeckers. These interesting birds have a lot to offer any outdoors enthusiast or birdwatcher. Let’s discover why woodpeckers are such an important part of this vibrant region.
A woodpecker is a bird that belongs to the family Picidae. You can find them all over the world. These birds are famous for their distinctive “drumming” behavior. They use their strong beaks to peck and drill into trees, posts, and other hard surfaces. They do this to find food and build nests.
Woodpeckers have:
They come in a variety of different sizes, colors, and regions depending on the species. Woodpeckers in North America usually have a splash of red in their feathers. That makes it much easier to spot them.
A pileated woodpecker. Photo by Adel Alamo.
Woodpeckers eat a wide variety food sources, depending on the species. Some woodpeckers prefer to eat insects and larvae that they find in trees. They also enjoy eating suet, seed mixes, peanut butter, nuts, and fruits. They’re also opportunistic, so they sometimes eat eggs, nestlings, and small animals. Woodpeckers even drink sap from trees sometimes! If you have woodpeckers in your trees, they’re probably eating:
Keep in mind that woodpeckers mostly peck on dead trees or rotten wood. They’re trying to catch insects that are decomposers who break down dead wood.
Yes, you can often see woodpeckers visiting backyard bird feeders in search of food. They can recognize and frequent the same feeders over time. As long as the feeders offer a variety food sources like nuts, suet, and seed mixes. Woodpeckers especially backyard bird feeders near a tree or other hard surface. Then they can drill for insects or larvae.
The most frequent visitors I have to my bird feeders are the Northern flickers. They’re roughly the size of your average song bird. You can’t mistake the beautiful tan of a Northern flicker.
Woodpeckers can be found throughout the world in many different habitats, including forests, woodlands, and even urban areas. They are most commonly seen in hardwood forests or pine savannas where they can find plenty of insects and food sources. Woodpeckers often nest in dead trees or tree cavities which they create for themselves. They may also reside in empty nesting boxes that have been erected by humans. Woodpeckers are most active during the daytime and can usually be heard drumming to announce their presence.
There are eight woodpecker species in the Southeast, including the:
Ivory-billed woodpeckers used to inhabit the Southeast, but they’re most likely extinct.
Red-bellied woodpeckers are an interesting species primarily in the Eastern US. Red-bellied woodpeckers have a reddish belly with black and white wings. They’re also pale with a red-capped head. Their size is somewhere between a robin and a crow.
Red-bellied woodpeckers feed on insects, nuts, and fruit. They favor suet and sunflower seeds. Red-bellied woodpeckers also enjoy visiting backyard bird feeders. They’re vocal and territorial, defending their nesting sites against other birds.
Look for a red-bellied woodpecker almost anywhere in the Eastern US. They range from Eastern Texas up North to the Mid-Atlantic and even into Wisconsin.
A red-bellied woodpecker on a branch. Photo by Adel Alamo.
The downy woodpecker is a small woodpecker, between the size of a sparrow and a robin. The downy woodpecker looks like the larger hairy woodpecker. But you can easily identify a downy woodpecker by its black and white streaked back and its smaller size.
The downy woodpecker roams throughout North America. They live in forests and woodlands from Alaska down through Florida. Downy woodpeckers eat insects, nuts, and fruit. They also visit backyard bird feeders for snacks. These birds make a distinctive “drumming” sound. But they’re also playful acrobats, flitting around trees searching for food.
A downy woodpecker
The red-headed woodpecker is a medium-sized bird native to North America. Red-headed woodpeckers have bright red heads. They also have white bodies with black wings and tail feathers. Some call Red-Headed Woodpeckers the “flying checkerboards” because of their distinctive coloring.
Red-headed woodpecker roam open woodlands and meadows across the US. You can find them as far North as Southern Canada. Red-headed woodpeckers eat insects, nuts, and fruit. They also visit backyard birdfeeders for easy meals. They have distinctive vocal calls and courtship displays. Those displays involve a series of rapid head movements. Red-headed woodpeckers build nests in dead trees, like most woodpeckers.
A red-headed woodpecker
Hairy woodpeckers are larger than their lookalikes, the downy woodpeckers. They have longer bills and larger heads which are generally darker in color. Hairy woodpeckers make loud calls when searching for mates.
You can find hairy woodpeckers across the US and Southern Canada. They prefer deciduous forests with large trees. They feed on a variety of insects, seeds, nuts, berries, and also visit birdfeeders.
A hairy woodpecker.
The pileated woodpecker looks like a dinosaur in the sky. They’re the largest American woodpecker, up to 19 inches long. They have a red crest on their heads and white stripes down their necks. pileated woodpeckers live in deciduous and coniferous forests, East of the Rocky Mountains. But you can also find them throughout Western Canada and along the Western seaboard as well.
Pileated woodpeckers feed on insects like carpenter ants. The holes they make in search of prey can break smaller trees right in half! If the bird you’ve spotted is giant with a red head, chances are, it’s a pileated woodpecker.
A pileated woodpecker.
Northern flickers are one of the larger woodpeckers in North America. Their size is between a robin and a crow. They have black and white plumage with a bright yellow underside of the wings. There’s a large red patch on the back of their heads. You can hear their distinctive call from quite some distance away.
Northern Flickers are throughout much of North America. But if you’re in the West, that yellow on their underwings turns to red.
A Northern flicker woodpecker.
The Red-cockaded woodpecker is a specialist of longleaf pine trees. So their population has declined drastically due to extensive logging in the 1900s. This bird was declared endangered in 1970. Wildlife professionals have been working ever since to bring them back to prominence.
Red-cockaded woodpeckers are barely red. The “cockade” is a tiny, nearly invisible red streak on male birds. The rest of their bodies are a patchwork of white and black. Red-cockaded woodpeckers are roughly robin sized.
They live in live pine trees. They prefer ones infected with the “red heart” fungus, which makes the wood easier to excavate. Seeing a Red-cockaded woodpecker is something special for most birdwatchers. That’s because you can usually find them only in protected lands. Like national wildlife refuges, national forests, and other large areas of protected habitat.
Red-cockaded woodpecker. Photo by USFWS.
Yellow-bellied sapsuckers are a bit larger than red-cockaded woodpeckers. They have striking black, white, and red markings. They’re named for their tendency to drill holes in tree bark to sip up the sap that oozes out. These holes end up as rows of shallow holes in tree bark.
Yellow-bellied sapsuckers aren’t regular bird feeder visitors. But if you have sap-producing trees (like maples), then you might just get a visit. “Yellow” is in the name of the yellow-bellied sapsuckers, but you need binoculars to spot the yellow.
A yellow-bellied sapsucker.
Like many birds, woodpeckers rely on healthy natural forests to live and reproduce. A healthy natural forest has living and dead mature trees. It has logs, snags, and other habitats for woodpeckers.
Unfortunately, many of these natural forests are under threat. The threat comes from aggressive industrial logging practices. If you want to help woodpeckers, join us in advocating for proforestation. Proforestation means stewarding healthy natural forests towards old-growth status.
Our forests and our woodpeckers need YOU to thrive. Will you meet the challenge?
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) held an Agribusiness Trade Mission in the Netherlands. A group the USDA welcomed is the United States Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA). They represent the interests of some of the largest forest destroyers in the US.
This partnership’s advocacy for biomass export expansion goes against President Biden’s policies. It is counter to his Executive Orders on climate, environmental justice, and forests. It provides cover for the dirty biomass industry. An industry that is facing growing controversy in the Netherlands. The Dutch Parliament passed a resolution to stop subsidizing untruthful wood pellet companies.
This is a region where 90% of the forests are privately-owned. Yet people of color own less than 5%. The wood pellet industry has rapidly expanded over the last ten years. A vast majority of its facilities are in environmental justice designated communities. Several facilities were even fined for emitting toxic pollutants far above legal limits.
Rita Frost, Campaigns Director at Dogwood Alliance said,
“The extractive wood pellet industry destroys forests and pollutes communities. It’s not the type of agriculture that the USDA should support. Additionally, burning forests for electricity releases more carbon than coal. So the agency keeps supporting an industry that’s harming our climate.”
These communities are almost always majority-Black and often under-resourced. They don’t have the resources to fight polluting industries. Yet, USDA promotes biomass as climate-friendly energy for overseas markets. They encourage the industry’s expansion.
The Biden Administration must stop using tax dollars to support this industry. Instead, the Biden administration should promote and advance policies that protect forests. They should champion community solutions to the climate crisis.
Spring is a season of beauty and renewal. In the US South, vibrant flowers bloom from early to mid-spring. Some of the most breathtaking displays come from trees. They bring life and color to gardens, yards, and parks across the region. Flowering dogwood, magnolia, and redbud are well known for their beautiful blooms. If you love trees, you can also check out our tree identification blog or read more about endangered trees in the South.
You can spot these spring flowering trees growing everywhere there’s ample sunshine. Read on to learn more about these special trees and how they bring life and joy in springtime!
Flowering dogwood is a small tree that’s native to North Carolina and Virginia. You can also find them in other parts of the US South. These trees have beautiful white or pink flowers that bloom from early to mid-spring.
The buds on a dogwood tree appear before the leaves. This gives it an especially vibrant display when in full bloom. Dogwoods can reach up to 30 feet tall and often have many trunks or branches for a multi-stemmed look. As with many flowering plants, dogwoods need plenty of sunshine and consistent moisture.
They prefer acidic soil. Due to their shallow roots, they need mulching if you plant them as an ornamental. This helps keep moisture and prevent weeds from growing around them. Pruning is also important. These trees tend to have weak branches that can break under wind or snow load.
Flowering dogwood tree
Magnolias are a type of large tree that are native to the US South and can be found in all states in the region. These trees are especially beloved because of their fragrant white blooms. Like Dogwoods, the blooms appear before the leaves do. Magnolia flowers are often solitary at the end of branches. They have 6-12 petals surrounded by glossy green leaves. They bloom from late February to early May and can sometimes reach up to 80 feet tall.
Magnolias need plenty of sunshine and don’t do well in very wet or dry conditions. These trees also need ample moisture for healthy growth. Unfortunately, their shallow roots make them more susceptible to drying out. Fertilizer is important to provide essential nutrients for their growth and development. Mulching helps keep moisture in the soil. Pruning will keep these trees looking neat and maintain optimal health.
There are many magnolia hybrids and crosses. For example, the magnolia “butterflies” variety will produce bright yellow flowers. This is a stunning look for a tree that can grow up to 30 feet tall. These ornamental trees are great for both beginning and experienced gardeners.
Other magnolia species and varieties include:
Both star magnolias and saucer magnolias are popular in suburban neighborhoods.
Magnolia tree blossoms
Redbuds are a type of small tree common throughout the US South and can reach up to 30 feet tall. As the name implies, these trees feature bright purple-pink flowers. They bloom from late winter to early spring. The buds on redbud trees are very noticeable. They appear before the leaves do and provide a striking display.
Redbuds prefer plenty of sunshine and acidic soil. They need supplemental irrigation during drought periods. Mulching is highly recommended for their shallow roots. And fertilizer is important for providing essential nutrients. Pruning should be regular to keep the tree neat and promote healthier growth.
Redbud tree with purple-pink flowers
People have celebrated cherry trees and cherry blossoms for hundreds of years. From Japan to Europe, these beautiful trees and blossoms have captivated the imagination. They’ve even inspired countless works of art.
These trees are great not only for beauty, but also for the ecosystem. Cherry tree blooms play an important role in supporting local ecosystems. They create habitats for many species of wildlife. Plus, cherries provide essential nutrition for both birds and some mammals.
The beauty of flowering cherry season is truly breathtaking. Take a moment to admire the lush display of colors that each spring brings. Or, lie back and enjoy the fragrant air while you relax under a cherry tree!
Cherry blossoms bloom in March and offer stunning displays of white or pink flowers. These flowers will remain for weeks before falling off the branches as petals. Washington, DC is known as a hotspot for flowering cherry trees. But you can plant your own weeping cherry or other flowering cherries in your own backyard, too.
Cherry tree grove in bloom
Crabapples also bloom from March to April and feature deep red buds that open into white or pink flowers. These are then followed by green fruits, which ripen to a deep red or yellow in the fall. Serviceberries are similar with white flowers that bloom from early May through late June. They have small berries that offer an edible treat for birds, mice, and other wildlife.
Apple serviceberries have white flowers but they come in late April to May. An apple serviceberry is a hybrid between two native trees. It produces flowers in April and May, followed by blue berries. It’s a striking, bright native tree hybrid that’s great for your garden or yard.
These trees have similar needs when it comes to growing best. These needs include plenty of sunshine and acidic soil. Water these trees during a drought, and mulch to keep moisture. Prune as you’d like, and fertilize at regular intervals.
Flowering crabapple tree
Introducing non-native species into an environment can have devastating effects. These effects can disrupt the balance of established ecosystems. This is especially true for springtime flowering trees. Native spring flowering trees shouldn’t need to compete against invading trees.
Invasive species are plants, animals, or organisms that are not native to the environment. They can cause damage to native wildlife, plants, and habitats. They often:
As a result, they threaten the survival of our native plants and animals.
The bottom line is that invasive species often do more harm than good. It’s important to take steps to limit their spread before they get out of hand! Here are a few early spring blooming trees that are invasive – and what to watch out for!
The Callery pear (or Bradford pear) is an increasingly common species of deciduous tree native to China and Vietnam. It’s often used in landscaped settings and in street plantings. Callery Pear has showy flowers. It can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions. The Callery Pear is an invasive species due to its prolific reproduction rates.
The Callery Pear blooms from early to late spring with white to pink petals. It’s a hardy tree that can grow pretty much anywhere, and it has a deep taproot that makes removal difficult. It was such a popular tree (and such a problem) in Ohio that the state actually banned the sale of Callery pear trees. South Carolina and Pennsylvania have also passed bans on these trees that will begin in 2024.
Invasive Callery pear blossoms
The Japanese honeysuckle is a common shrub in many areas throughout the US. Known for its sweet-smelling flowers, it blooms in early spring.
Japanese honeysuckle features white to yellow blooms from March to June. It often produces berries in the late summertime. Japanese honeysuckle spreads rapidly and displaces native plants. You shouldn’t plant Japanese honeysuckle on your property. If you have some, remove it before it becomes a bigger problem.
Flowers of the invasive Japanese honeysuckle shrub
If you don’t know which tree species you’re looking at, apps can help. There are a few resources available to help identify them.
One of the most popular tools is iNaturalist. iNaturalist is a mobile app that helps people identify plants and animals. By submitting photos to the app, users can receive accurate species identification. This identification comes from both experts in the field and AI (artificial intelligence) algorithms.
Another useful tool is the PlantSnap tree identification app. This app allows users to quickly identify trees based on their leaves, bark, and fruits. It also provides helpful information like distribution range and any cultural benefits.
A good reference book can also be invaluable for more complex identifications. The National Audubon Society Field Guide to Trees is an excellent resource for beginners. It covers over 800 North American tree species in detail. Other field guides are also usually a safe bet. Be sure to find one specific to the state or region in which you live.
Springtime flowering trees are beautiful and delightful to behold. Their beauty brings joy to many as new life unfolds. They also provide essential habitat for many species of wildlife.
If you’d like to learn more about protecting biodiversity, subscribe now! We share ways you can help preserve the natural world around us. Together let’s make a positive difference for our planet!
The United States is a leading producer of wood pellets, exporting over 8 million tons in 2021. That’s up from just one million tons in 2011. Most of these exports still go to Europe, but there’s a growing demand for wood pellets in Asia. So what are wood pellets, and why are they becoming such an in-demand product?
The answer lies in the international demand for wood pellets to meet renewable energy goals. These countries and companies believe that only dead trees and “post-consumer wood” is used to make wood pellets. However, wood pellets produced in the US come predominantly from whole trees, not wood residues or unmerchantable wood.
Learn more about the wood pellet industry’s growth, the export market’s impacts, and the future for bioenergy below.
Wood pellets are made from compressed sawdust or other wood waste. When burned in power plants, they produce ash and emit more carbon dioxide than coal. Because wood pellets come from trees, wood pellets are sometimes touted as a “green” energy source. However, there are multiple environmental problems with wood pellets.
First, producing wood pellets requires large amounts of energy: logging, transport, processing, and shipping. These processing steps add 10-20% more carbon emissions to the final carbon impact of these products.
Second, wood pellets are less efficient than other fuels in the electricity sector. Wood pellets used for heating are moderately efficient, but wood pellets take more energy to combust than coal. And they produce less energy for the same period. Because of this and mechanical limitations, wood pellets are often burned in a mixture with coal.
Another issue is that wood pellets speed up the release of carbon into the atmosphere. This is especially true when you compare wood pellets to other wood products. The carbon stored in furniture may stay in the biosphere for decades or centuries. However, the carbon stored in wood pellets is released within a few years. Studies like ours have shown that the carbon impact from logging is gigantic.
In addition, clearcutting forests to get wood for pellets can result in habitat loss and other environmental damage. One study found that more logging residues get removed during a bioenergy harvest. Those are things like branches, leaves, and smaller trunks. This can lead to more significant impacts on the soil and longer forest recovery. As a result, the true environmental impact of wood pellet production is highly contested.
Wood pellet mills are not good neighbors. Communities with wood pellet mills complain about the 24/7 noise, the constant truck traffic, and the thick dust that blankets everything. The dust is so bad that community members have to wash their cars multiple times a week. Wood pellet mills promise jobs to communities, but the truth is that jobs are often temporary or contract with few benefits and securities.
Where wood pellet mills get placed is another issue. A study found that mills were twice as likely to be placed in under-resourced communities of color. All the wood pellet mills in North and South Carolina were placed in these “Environmental Justice” communities.
European countries are increasingly demanding wood pellets because of international climate treaties. The climate treaties argue that trees can be regrown quickly, unlike fossil fuels. Therefore, wood pellets are “carbon neutral” in most countries’ carbon ledgers.
However, substantial greenhouse gases are emitted when wood pellets are burned. Because wood pellets burn hotter than coal, one ton of wood pellets will produce more greenhouse gases than one ton of coal. While technically a renewable energy source, other sources like wind and solar are far more efficient and low-carbon than wood pellets.
While wood pellets are produced in multiple countries, the United States is a substantial producer of solid biomass. There are a few reasons for this:
While many countries produce some wood pellets, the US dominates the wood pellet export market. In 2020, the US was responsible for 25% of total global wood pellet exports. The US exported more biomass resources than the next two countries (Vietnam and Canada) combined.
The number of mills built for wood pellet exports grows every year. Unfortunately, many foreign countries believe that wood energy is the best way forward. As a result, there’s a very high wood fiber demand from external sources.
As of April 2022, there were 24 operating mills for wood pellet exports in the US South. There are an additional fifteen mills either proposed or under construction.
In a crushing blow to forest resources, more and more wood pellets are exported every year from the US South. For a while, analysts even predicted near-exponential growth of the biomass industry. Luckily, those estimates have fallen flat. But the impact of the bioenergy market grows every year.
Wood pellets from the US South go mostly to renewable electricity or renewable heating schemes – not other places. As a result, wood pellets from the US have gone to 75 countries since 2012. However, over 75% of US wood pellets have gone to the UK.
Only four countries have received more than a million tons of wood pellets from the United States from 2012-2020:
However, the percentage of wood pellets going to each country will continue to change as bioenergy companies like Enviva secure long-term contracts with governments and their power plants.
Dogwood Alliance Statement on the European Union Renewable Energy Directive III:March 30, 2023: This morning, EU negotiations were finalized for the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). They chose to reject calls from the EU Parliament to phase out biomass as a renewable fuel. There were some small improvements to the policy, but, unfortunately, they will not go far enough to protect communities and forests. They won’t halt the climate-destroying practice of burning forests for electricity. With the fever pitch urgency of climate action, this was the moment for the EU to fix the huge policy mistakes they have made through the years.
Rita Frost, Campaigns Director at Dogwood Alliance, said:
“This decision is no different from what the EU has been putting out as biomass policy over the last 15 years. Some fancy words that shift the emphasis but take no real action. Once again the many have caved to the pressure of the few. The EU has allowed special interests and a few member states to control their biomass policy, which has already caused so much destruction. Not science, justice, or climate action. Communities in the Southern US are looking for political leadership to stop harms to their health, forests, and our climate. If the EU is not going to take real action, it’s time for the Biden Administration to stand for forests by halting the expansion of the biomass industry.”
The directive also allows member states to add new requirements governing what kinds of biomass qualify as renewable energy. Countries with growing biomass controversy like the Netherlands have suffered because of EU-wide policy. Now they have more freedom to eliminate biomass as a fuel source.
Unfortunately, the new policy continues to have loopholes. It allows countries to count burning biomass as a climate benefit. It leaves the troubling possibility of further development of Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS). The policy increases the overall renewable energy target to 42.5%. This will only increase the amount of biomass used by countries that are already heavily reliant on it.
Across the US South, forests are being used to produce wood pellets. These pellets are burned for electricity generation in the European Union and beyond. This industry was almost nonexistent before 2010. So how much wood is now going to producing wood pellets? Let’s find out together.
Biomass energy is an older technology that uses wood pellets from whole trees to produce electricity. It’s known by many different names: biomass energy, wood pellets, bioenergy, and more.
Biomass energy is a “renewable energy” source, but it does release a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, which contributes to global warming.
Biomass energy has become popular among governments in Europe and Asia. It’s because they’re struggling to reach renewable energy goals. They can make a few tweaks to existing coal plants and be ready to burn wood pellets.
In theory, energy from forest biomass could replace energy from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. But biomass fuel is terrible for the environment, despite what these companies say.
International treaties declared that this process to generate electricity is carbon neutral. On paper (and in politics), the carbon stored in wood pellets doesn’t count. The amount of carbon that bioenergy produces is higher than other renewable energy sources like wind and solar. But for some reason, it’s still acceptable as an energy source to other countries.
Scientific evidence shows that burning wood pellets emits a lot of carbon. Burning biomass releases up to 50% more carbon “at the smokestack” than if you burned fossil fuels. In other words, we shouldn’t be using pellets to reduce the carbon emissions of power plants.
Plus, the energy efficiency of pellets compared to fossil fuels is really, really bad. Most of the time, pellets burn alongside fossil fuels to produce electricity. This is because existing equipment can’t have more than 5-10% of the fuel source as bioenergy.
Even so, some countries continue to believe that pellets are a sustainable option. International demand is driving the expansion of wood pellet production across the US.
International treaties declared bioenergy to be carbon neutral because trees grow back. However, this natural regeneration of forests can take decades or even centuries. Plus, we lose out on the carbon sequestration that the forest could’ve provided during that time. Consistently logged forests are less healthy than intact, mature natural forests.
Scientific evidence shows that it can take decades for biomass energy to reach carbon neutrality. Countries are better off fighting climate change with wind and solar as alternative energy sources. Not biomass.
Now that we understand the basics about bioenergy, we can understand how much wood is being taken to produce pellets. Luckily, the US Forest Service provides an annual (ish) dataset called the Timber Product Output (TPO) database. This helps us understand where our forest inventory is going. Is it all going to paper production? All going to pellets? Somewhere in between?
The answer depends on the state you’re in. There are four states where bioenergy takes over 10% of the total wood. In order by percentage, they are:
Unsurprisingly, these are the four states with the largest wood energy plants around. South Carolina is using 6% of its total wood to produce wood energy. Both Louisiana and Mississippi are using 4% of their forest biomass to make pellets or chips. Finally, Alabama is using about 3% of their logs for renewable energy production.
What’s remarkable is that before 2010, pellets were only produced for residential heating. There was no meaningful export of pellets to other countries for energy generation. Foreign demand for “renewable energy” is driving the growth in the biomass industry. Those countries simply ignore the fact that bioenergy still produces carbon pollution.
Before 2010, the answer may have been yes. But since foreign demand increased for pellets and wood chips, there’s not enough “waste” wood to address the demand. Logging residue removal may provide a small portion of the wood used for pellets. But mostly, these companies are using whole logs and harvested trees for pellets.
The pelletization process emits greenhouse gas at every step. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases get emitted when:
There are additional emissions for transport across the ocean to foreign countries. Plus, even if they replant the trees immediately, it takes decades for the forest to recover.
Now that you know there’s a problem, it’s time to take action! We’re calling on our elected representatives to do something about the bioenergy problem. Biomass results in more greenhouse gases and real impacts on the communities where it’s produced.
You CAN help.
In this first part of the year, we’re exploring our new survey’s results on logging, bioenergy, climate impacts, and nature. Here, we’re taking a closer look at bioenergy in the US South. We asked our respondents five questions about wood pellets and bioenergy. They responded in surprising ways. Find out what it means for forests – and for environmental campaigns – everywhere.
In December of 2022, YouGov surveyed 1,000 people across Georgia and North Carolina. NC and GA are the top two wood pellet producing states in the US. These states are also major producers of other wood products. This survey followed up on previous surveys YouGov has done for Dogwood Alliance. We asked 17 questions about attitudes towards and knowledge of environmental practices, including:
Participants were also asked to provide basic demographic information. This included age, sex, race, income, education, and social media participation. Survey responses were voluntary and relay important insights about these topics.
Alright, let’s get into it! Survey says…
We had never asked this question before, but what we found was enlightening. Gen Z and Millennials (ages 18-34) were the most likely to be educated about wood pellet use in electricity production. 57% of ages 18-34 were familiar. 33% of those aged 55+ were familiar. That’s a statistically significant difference.
An industry that relies on exporting forest destruction should be on everyone’s radar. Especially when everyone feels the impacts of dirty air, damaged roads, noise pollution, and fallen trees.
While awareness isn’t as high as we would’ve liked, this survey question gave us with critical insight. Participants who understood the wood-pellets-for-energy scheme were also more likely to understand other environmental issues. In other words: bioenergy is a keystone issue for environmental campaigns.
Wood pellets, or pellets made from “woody biomass”, are sometimes used to produce electricity. This method of electricity production from biological material is known as “bioenergy.” All three of these terms – bioenergy, biomass, and wood pellets – are used interchangeably to talk about this issue.
Before 2008, wood pellets were almost never used for electricity. Instead, they were used for things like:
As a result, wood pellet production in the US occurred at smaller facilities. It truly was a waste-based business, operating on waste material from paper factories or forest operations.
In the mid 2000s, that changed. Billions of dollars started flowing to wood pellets in the name of renewable energy. These foreign investments have caused an exponential increase in the wood pellet industry. In 2022, the wood pellet industry produced 8.9 million tons of wood pellets in the US. These wood pellets were exported to countries in Europe and Asia.
The problem with bioenergy is that it’s bad for the climate. Burning wood pellets actually produces one and a half times more carbon dioxide than burning an equivalent amount of coal. That’s right – renewable energy subsidies are driving power plants to put even more greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Bioenergy is just not the “green” energy it claims to be. You can read more about the issues with bioenergy here.
Through this survey, we’ve found something surprising. People who’ve heard of bioenergy are more likely to understand the many other environmental issues that we’re facing.
In this next section, we’ll explore the questions that we asked and how answers changed if people were familiar with wood pellets.
We asked survey respondents if they agreed or disagreed with the following statement: “Burning wood pellets is not climate-friendly because it creates greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide.”
Across the entire survey, half of respondents said that they agreed that wood pellets were not climate friendly. The public is beginning to understand the climate implications of wood pellets.
But for people who were already familiar with wood pellets? 77% of those people agreed that wood pellets were not climate friendly. That’s right – a 22% jump in agreement once people were familiar with the issue.
We asked survey respondents if they agreed or disagreed with the following statement: “Energy companies that use coal should not receive renewable energy subsidies.”
Across the entire survey, over half (52%) agreed with this statement. But when we filtered the data by those familiar with bioenergy, agreement again rose sharply.
Nearly 70% of people who knew about the wood pellet scam thought that companies shouldn’t receive subsidies at all when they kept burning fossil fuels. People who know about wood pellets can see through greenwashing easily.
We asked survey respondents if they agreed or disagreed with the following statement: “Renewable energy supplies like wind and solar power should be able to meet our energy needs in the next ten years.”
Among the full survey respondents, 59% of people agreed with that statement. People are confident that true renewables like wind and solar are going to meet our energy needs.
People who were familiar with bioenergy were also more likely to agree with this statement – 71%, in fact. Less dramatic than the other questions, but still a big jump in confidence.
People weren’t too sure about this question. We asked survey respondents if they agreed or disagreed with the following statement. “Companies shouldn’t make wood pellets in communities that are already polluted by other industries.”
Just 48% of the full survey responses agreed. But among people who understand what’s at stake with bioenergy? A full 66% of people agreed.
I’m the author of the survey. And I have to admit: I should have phrased that question better. What I should have said was this:
Some communities already have a lot of polluters. From coal burners and train depots to natural gas and paper mills, some communities are suffering. Should these communities also have to suffer from wood pellet pollution?
The answer, for a lot of people, is no. If you’ve already got a smelly manufacturing plant up the street, you probably don’t want another one. But that’s exactly what’s happening.
Don’t believe me? Check out this video. Five other polluters in this tiny town, and they want to make wood pellets here, too. How are people supposed to enjoy where they live?
People across the country are resisting environmental injustices like these. And you can, too. This survey shows you’re not alone. Many people across North Carolina, Georgia, and the country care deeply about the issues at hand.
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April 5, 2026