The Forest Bioenergy Web Portal is the result of a bioenergy training initiative project started in 2003. In December 2003, Larry Biles, Executive Director of the Southern Forest Research Partnership learned of a request for proposals for Forest Biomass Research and Training from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy. Subsequent electronic communication to SFRP membership to gauge their interest in submitting a proposal led to the writing of pre-proposals by interested members in three areas: Feedstock Development and Production; Biobased Products - Environmental and Economic Performance; and Biomass Focused Forest Management Training.

After receiving notification that their pre-proposal on Biomass Focused Forest Management Training was successful, a team of researchers and technology transfer specialists from the University of Georgia, Texas A & M University, SFRP, the Southern Regional Extension Forestry office and the USDA Forest Service put together and submitted a full proposal to the granting agency. In 2004, the team was notified of its success. In late 2004, the three-year project officially got underway.

• Sarah Ashton, SREF-UGA
• Dr. Daniel Cassidy, USDA CSREES
  

• Cole Sherer, SREF
• Matt Howell, SREF

• Dave Koon, SREF
• Liz Jahn, SREF