Canadian Forest Service Publications
Wood ash as a soil amendment in Canadian forests: what are the barriers to utilization? 2018. Hannam,K.D.; Venier, L.:Allen, D.; Deschamps,C.; Hope, E.; Jull, M.;Kwiaton, W.; McKenney,D.; Rutherford, M.;Hazlett, P.W. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 48: 1-9.
Year: 2018
Issued by: Great Lakes Forestry Centre
Catalog ID: 38279
Language: English
Availability: PDF (request by e-mail)
Available from the Journal's Web site. †
DOI: 10.1139/cjfr-2017-0351
† This site may require a fee
Plain Language Summary
As the forest bioenergy industry in Canada expands, the wood ash generated as a by-product is becoming a growing concern. In countries with mature forest bioenergy sectors, applications of wood ash on forest soils are actively encouraged as a means of maintaining forest productivity, but this practice has not received significant attention in Canada. In order to ensure that forest bioenergy expansion in Canada is sustainable and that social license for bioenergy is maintained, those involved in the Canadian forestry and bioenergy sectors need a clear understanding of i. the benefits of diverting ash from the landfill and using it as a forest soil amendment, and ii. the existing barriers to the expansion of this practice. This paper addresses these needs and outlines some of the considerations required for developing best practices to ensure that wood ash applications on Canadian forest soils are conducted safely, effectively and efficiently.
