“There are currently very few markets for the types of residues that need to come out of these forests – it is usually small-diameter, low-value timber,” explains Crotty. “They typically can’t pay their way out of the forests, so business as usual in many areas is to simply put them in a pile and burn them.”

Couldn’t it be used for paper pulp? Wood mulch? Particle board? Use for these could avoid some of the environmental burden of other sources these are coming from. The lack of a market just means this is not the most profitable way to make those things, it doesn’t even necessarily mean there would not be some net profit. Burying it however is not just no net profit, it is pure cost. The people developing this stand to make money, but it doesn’t seem the best solution from a big picture scenario.