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2024 SMEDD Biomass Utilization Press Release, 3/27/24

2024 SMEDD Biomass Utilization Flyer

Date: May 3, 2024 (including day-before tours + social) 

Location: UCANR Hopland Research and Extension Center Shippey Hall  

Overview: The 2024 SMEDD Biomass Utilization Symposium will bring together industry, academia, Tribes, government and community-based organizations to explore the opportunities and challenges of implementing forest biomass utilization projects for fire safety, forest health, renewable energy, and wood products, and supporting the appropriate growth of sustainable, stewardship-based, rural economic development

Themes: Fire Safety, Forest Health, Wood Products, Renewable Energy and Sustainable, Stewardship-based, Rural Economic Development

Goals:

The SMEDD and partners are seeking to attract a diverse audience of project developers, economic development and regional planners key to permitting and financing, to meet a group of regional and state experts who are actively engaged in biomass development issues.  The goals of the day are to hear from statewide experts involved in biomass utilization, bring regional awareness of example projects in development and to explore other opportunities that may be appropriate to the region.

Agenda & Program:

Thursday May2, 2024

• 10:00am-4:00 pm| Forest Thinning and Biomass to Energy Demonstration Project Tour(s) 
  • Northern Option | Potter Valley Tribe & Hopland Field Station, Mendocino County
    • Join Potter Valley Tribal leaders, environmental managers and Mendocino County elected leaders to visit and learn about the Tribes active forest health improvement and biochar production pilot project in the Eel River watershed. Tour group will meet at Hoppers Corner in Potter Valley then carpool to site; hear from practicioners; experience biochar production facilities; and enjoy a boxed lunch from Schat's Bakery in Ukiah. 
    • Next stop on the tour will be the UC Hopland Research and Extension Center to meet Station Director John Bailey and experience bioenergy pilot facilities recently installed at the Center. 
    • Tour will conclude by joining the Pre-Symposium Social and Networking in nearby Hopland, CA. Passes for the tour only are available.
  • Southern Option | Old World Winery, Sonoma County
    • Join Soil Carbon Management CEO (and Old World Winery Owner/Winemaker) Darek Trowbridge for a tour and discussion. The tour will focus on the current soil carbon management pilot composting operations located onsite at Old World Winery. You will learn about the potential for converting large amounts of forest biomass into carbon sequestering, and agriculture enhancing, soil amendments. 
    • The tour will include a taco truck luncheon at the winery and will conclude in time to allow attendees to join the Pre-Symposium Social and Neworking event in Hopland, CA. Passes for the tour only are available.
• 4:00-6:00 pm | Pre-Symposium Social and Networking, Thatcher Hotel, Hopland, CA

Friday May 3, 2024

• 8:00-9:00 AM | Welcome and Registration
• 9:00-9:15 AM | Opening Addresses
  • Tribal Welcome, Sonny Elliot Jr., Hopland Rancheria Chairman
  • Robin Bartholow, Chair, Sonoma Mendocino Economic Development District
  • Glenn McGourty, Mendocino County Board of Supervisors
  • David Rabbitt, Chair, Sonoma County Board of Supervisors 
• 9:15-9:45 AM | Keynotes
  • Elizabeth Betancourt, California Department of Conservation, Natural and Working Lands Policy Advisor
  • Glenda Humiston, Vice President, University of California. Agriculture & Natural Resource (UCANR) 
  • Challenges and concerns managing forests in CA ▪ Importance of biocarbon and CA’s carbon reduction goals ▪ CA’s Current Policies and Efforts On Forest Resiliency
• 9:45-10:30 AM | Panel 1: Biomass Utilization 101
  • Michael Jones, Forestry Advisor, Lake, Mendocino, & Sonoma Counties, UCANR, Moderator
  • Daniel Sanchez, Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension, UC Berkeley
  • Haris Gilani, Biomass & Bioenergy Advisor, UCANR
  • Martin Twer, Biomass Program Director, The Watershed Center
• 10:30-10:45AM | Break
• 10:45-12:00 PM | Panel 2: Sustainable Forest Stewardship and Rural Economy Connections
  • Genevieve Taylor, Ag Innovations, Moderator
  • Jim DiPasquale, Wood & Biomass Utilization Specialist, USDA Forest Service, Region 5 State & Private Forestry
  • John McCarthy, Deputy Chief, Wood Products and Bioenergy, CalFire 
  • Nathan Rich, Tribal Environmental Manager and North Coast Resource Partnership Representative
  • Yana Valachovic, Forest Advisor and Humboldt - Del Norte County Director, UCANR
• 12:00-1:00 PM | Lunch
• 1:00-3:00 PM | Regional Projects Panels
  • 1:00-2:00 PM | Panel 3: Biomass to Energy
    • Elizabeth Betancourt, California Department of Conservation, Natural and Working Lands Policy Advisor, Moderator 
    • Andrew Haden, Founder & President, WisewoodEnergy
    • Bill Shevlin,  Chief Strategy Officer, Correlate Energy
    • Dean Kerstetter, Executive Vice President of Operations, Mendocino Forest Products
    • Terrance Rogers, Project Development Manager, Golden State Natural Resources
  • 2:00-3:00 PM | Panel 4: Biomass to Wood and Soil Products
    • James Gore, Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, 4th District, Moderator
    • Darek Trowbridge, Soil Carbon Management
    • Fernando Mora, Berry's Sawmill Project
    • Jeremy Fisher, CEO, Forestree Collective
    • Temra Costa, Director, Regenerative Forest Solutions
• 3:00-3:15 Break
• 3:15-4:30 PM | Panel 5: Community Opportunities and Funding 
  • Josh Metz, Senior Advisor and District Manager, SMEDD
  • Walter Kieser, Senior Principal and Co-Founder, Economic & Planning Systems, Inc. 
  • Laurel Harkness, Coalition Director, Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition
  • Mary Anne Petrillo, CEO, West Business Development Center
  • Zach Knight, Co-Founder & CEO, Blue Forest
• 4:30-4:45 PM | Closing thoughts: Stephen Kaffka, Cooperative Extension Specialist, UCANR
• 4:45-5:00 PM | Native American Closing

*Speakers and Panels subject to change*

Local Lodging Information

For local lodging, discounts are offered at the Thatcher Hotel in Hopland and the Holiday Inn Express in Ukiah, a 25min drive to the UC Extension Hopland Campus.

Please use the links below for booking:

Thatcher Hotel

10% Discount Code: Biomass

Holiday Inn Express

No booking code is needed, the link accesses a group rate

Sponsorship Oppportunities available! Please see below:

Thank You to Our Generous 2024 Sponsors:

View Our Confirmed & Invited Speakers: