Rural Communities Can Run on Trees

What Does it Mean to be “Rural”?

According to the U.S. Census of Bureau, the closest definition to what makes a place rural is, “what is not urban—that is, after defining individual urban areas, rural is what is left.”

It is true that, compared to their urban counterparts, rural communities may face more challenges. Some of these can include having less internet access, fewer educational institutions, seeing more hospitals close and experiencing less economic growth according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

But rural communities are so much more than that. Unable to be pigeonholed by a definition, rural areas refuse to run with the pack of urban society. These working lands are characterized by ranching, farming and forestry as main activities that bring inhabitants much meaning in life. Of course, rural communities can be many different things. But one feature that seems to appear across the board is a strong, tight-knit community that keeps its people and land alive.

Wallowa County

Far up in the north easternmost corner of Oregon lies Wallowa County, a place that gives a whole new sound to what it means to be “rural”.

Long ago, much like many other rural communities, Wallowa County relied on its abundance of sawmills which provided jobs for the community. The county experienced an abrupt economic downturn when national forest management shut down those mills in 1996. Determined to save their community, a group of local citizens came together in the back of a bakery to establish the organization that allows Wallowa to thrive today, Wallowa Resources.

This nonprofit organization put their heart and soul into revitalizing the land and community of Wallowa through education and conservation. The foundation of Wallowa Resources was based on transforming Wallowa’s economy from an extractive one to one based on stewardship.

Wallowa Resources defines Stewardship Economy as, “an economy shaped by the need, and responsibility, to manage for the sustainability of both land and communities.” The organization worked hard to effectively revitalize their community, and now stands as a national model for grassroots initiatives.

“Stewardship work involves continuous learning on the ground. It’s the sort of learning that involves your head, heart and hands.” – Nils Christofferson, Executive Director, Wallowa Resources.

The Community Energy Program

While Wallowa Resources has an abundance of projects and education opportunities, one of their biggest efforts has been The Community Energy Program. Founded in 2009, this program aims to help communities take control of their energy by maximizing the use of local resources and community opportunities.

In the face of changing climate conditions, landscapes, and increasingly divided politics, it is important for rural communities to adapt. The Community Energy program fosters this ability to adapt through “identifying and developing projects to sustainably utilize our plentiful resources and keep energy dollars working locally,” according to their website.

The Community Energy Program focuses on five major projects including energy efficiency and conservation, micro hydropower, solar power, electrification and biomass. Each of these projects emphasize the use of natural resources that would otherwise have wasted potential.

Any community, whether it be rural or urban, can benefit from these energy campaigns. However, one that is unique in being able to benefit specifically rural communities is biomass energy.

What is Biomass Energy & Why can it Benefit my Rural Community?

Biomass energy is energy generated from renewable organic material that comes from plants and animals, as defined by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Biomass includes materials such as wood or wood waste, agricultural or food waste and even animal or human waste. All of these materials store energy from the sun due to a process you may be familiar with: photosynthesis.

All that stored energy can be put to use by converting the biomass into a usable energy source. There are many different conversion techniques including combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, bio-digestion and fermentation to name a few from the EIA’s website.

The use of biomass energy is highly contextual to the region in which it is used and its available resources. This is why biomass energy is an exceptional option for rural communities, because they are often in close proximity to wooded areas.

Not only does this utilize readily available resources, but it also reduces wildfire hazards in forested areas. This alone can reduce the cost that many woody, rural communities spend on wildfire suppression each year.

What better way to explore further benefits of biomass energy than to see how it has impacted a real community such as Wallowa County.

“Biomass facilities can run essentially indefinitely with maintenance, especially on a small scale.” – Gavin Collier, Community Energy Project Coordinator, Wallowa Resources

Biomass Benefits in Wallowa County

Wallowa Resources launched the Integrated Biomass Energy Center (IBEC) in 2010. It was the first small-scale heat and power biorefinery in Northeastern Oregon to produce heat and electricity from biomass. How’s that for a ”rural” community?

The IBEC predominantly utilizes “woody biomass,” which is exactly what it sounds like, being made up of different types of logs, woodchips, firewood, etc.

Because the utilization of a biomass facility reduces the need for hand thinning, pilling and burning, Wallowa County has experienced a reduction in taxpayer costs for forest restoration. Further, this infrastructure has provided an abundance of jobs for the community. This includes both on and off- site work opportunities. For example, Wallowa recently opened Heartwood Biomass LLC, a wood contractor resource that provides woody biomass for facilities like the IBEC.

In 2008, Wallowa Resources also created the first biomass fuel heating system at a public school in Enterprise, Oregon. The system has effectively lowered costs for the Enterprise School district which continues to support faculty and students according to Wallowa Resources’ Community Energy Project Coordinator, Gavin Collier.

Wallowa Resources continues to generate biomass projects within and beyond their community. An emblem for rural communities around the world, Wallowa Resources is just one example of what a seemingly challenged, “non-urban” community can become.

To learn about how Biomass Energy can make your community a better place, visit their website at https://www.wallowaresources.org/