Woodchips are a medium-sized solid material made by cutting, or chipping, larger pieces of wood. Woodchips may be used as a biomass solid fuel. They may also be used as an organic mulch in gardening, landscaping, restoration ecology and mushroom cultivation. According to the different chemical and mechanical properties of the masses, the wood logs are mostly peeled and the bark chips and the woodchips processed in different processes.

Woodchips are made in the process of woodchipping with a woodchipper.

Environmental IssuesEdit

If woodchips are harvested through sustainable forestry practices, then this is considered a source of renewable energy.

On the other hand, it is clear that some harvesting practices, such as clearcutting large areas, are often highly damaging to forest ecosystems.

Theoretically, whole-tree chip harvesting does not have as high a solar energy efficiency, as compared to

short rotation coppice; however, it can be an energy-efficient and low-cost method of harvesting. In some cases this practice may be controversial when whole-tree harvesting may often associated with clear cutting, and perhaps other questionable forestry practices.

Woodchips for waste processing Edit

Bark chips, not woodchips, are used as a bulking agent in industrial composting of municipal biodegradeable waste, particularly biosolids.

Woodchip biomass does not have the waste disposal issues of coal and nuclear power, since wood ash can be used directly as a mineral-rich plant fertilizer.

Forest Fire PreventionEdit

Woodchip harvesting can be used in concert with creating man made firebreaks, which are used as barriers to the spread of wildfire. Undergrowth coppice is ideal for chipping, and larger trees may be left in place to shade the forest floor and reduce the rate of fuel accumulation.