Choosing Forest Residues Management Alternatives

Forest residues management involves disposal, modification, or utilization of wood products. The costs and benefits of the several alternatives available to forest managers must be evaluated in relation to land management goals and constraints in four areas: (1) unused wood fiber, (2) conflagrations, (3) impairment of forest resources, and (4) opposition to treatment of residues. Advance modification of fuels or installation of fuelbreaks on strategic locations may be the best residue management for fire control, but probable loss must be weighed against cost. A simple framework is proposed that uses quantitative data on costs, benefits, and probabilities, but the opportunity exists to use qualitative data until research results become available.