Using our underutilized hardwoods, aspen and cottonwood, in Alaska for local uses

Dr. Valerie Barber (pictured above), assistant professor with SNRAS, will give a lecture as part of the Land and Sea series hosted by Summer Sessions Tuesday, June 12 at 7 p.m. in O'Neill 201. Following is a summary of her presentation.

By Dr. Valerie Barber

The Alaskan boreal forest contains two predominant poplar species, aspen and cottonwood that are underutilized in Alaska. We propose that there are many uses for these logs and lumber here in Alaska and we showcase two cabins built with logs from each. There is also the potential to use the fast growing poplar in plantations and agroforestry to provide biomass to fuel wood-fired boilers that are springing up all over Alaska.

In 2010, we held a log cabin building class in Palmer at the UAF-Matanuska Experiment Farm. Eight students attended the class taught by renowned log builder Robert Chambers with assistance from Mike Musick. We used aspen trees from the Tanana Valley State Forest. Most people consider these trees to be weeds so getting access to the trees was easy. A 16 x 20 log cabin was built with the logs using a full scribe, shrink to fit technique with green logs. The cabin is a beautiful work of art and the wood was easy to work with as noted by both instructors. Mike said he was going back to Fairbanks to build a log cabin from the aspen found on his property.

In 2011, we held another class that was attended by 12 students from Alaska, the lower 48 and from three other countries. Robert came back to teach the class and was assisted by Mike Pielortz, a local log builder in Palmer. This time we gathered cottonwood locally from the farm and used the same techniques. The cottonwood trees were much bigger than the aspen and the cabin is also a beautiful work of art. We also added four days to the workshop for building a log truss roof.

Energy costs in Alaska are high due to reliance on fossil fuels and isolation of rural communities. State and federal entities in Alaska are promoting renewable energy, primarily woody biomass for heat and power. Alaska has forest resources throughout the state of which very little is managed and logged. There is little infrastructure for a forest products industry so wood is in relatively low demand. Climate change, very much apparent in Alaska, is affecting growth and survival of the local species through different avenues. With increasing fire frequency in the state, pressure is high to cut major firebreaks around communities. This combined with an increase of acreage burned from wildfires and trees killed from insect infestations leaves an abundance of available low-value woody biomass.

Dendroclimatology studies in boreal Alaska on local tree species casts uncertainty on the future regeneration of local forest stands under a warming, drying climate. Forest inventories in Alaska are not current or widespread which increases uncertainty. With the sustainability of forests in question, managers are wary of increasing dependence on woody biomass for heat and power without a management plan in place. Agroforestry and plantations of fast growing broadleaf species, such as local and hybrid poplar, offer possible solutions for revegetation. Demonstration projects are being planned for interior and southcentral Alaska.