Squamish Community Forest applies green new technology to “carbonize” post-harvest residuals

Squamish Community Forest applied a green new technology to “carbonize” residual organic material after its inaugural timber harvest. In order to reduce future fire hazard, the unmerchantable material (e.g. tree tops and limbs, aka “slash”) that remains after a timber harvest is typically piled and open-burned – a practice that generates a lot of smoke. The public and forest professionals have long been seeking alternatives to open slash pile burning.

Squamish Community Forest deployed the new Tigercat 6040 Carbonizer machine in June 2024 to “carbonize” their post-harvest slash materials. The Carbonizer is a mobile off-road unit that processes residual woody debris and produces biochar – an organic carbon-rich and porous material. The Carbonizer generates very little smoke or C02 emissions, instead concentrating the carbon into a stable form in which it can remain for a long period of time. The resulting biochar can be used as a soil amendment, providing organic input and increasing soil moisture holding capacity. The Community Forest plans to integrate the biochar into the in-block road areas that are being rehabilitated and returned to forest after the harvest.

Other potential Cabonizer applications include conversion/disposal of woody material from fire risk fuel thinning treatments, clearing debris from development projects, landfill material and more.

The Carbonizer machine is owned and operated through a joint venture between Lil’wat Forestry Ventures and local forestry contractor Skytech Yarding.

The use of the new technology was met with great interest. Two demonstration days during the operation saw visits from Ministry of Forests staff, Squamish’s Fire Chief, District of Squamish and Whistler waste management planners, Squamish Nation and District of Squamish FireSmart representatives, forestry businesses and independent professionals, and researchers from the University of British Columbia.