We describe a portable pyrolysis system for bioenergy production from forest biomass that minimizes long-distance transport costs and provides for nutrient return and long-term soil carbon storage. The cost for transporting biomass to conversion facilities is a major impediment to utilizing forest biomass. If forest biomass could be converted into bio-oil in the field, it may be more profitable to utilize forest biomass for bioenergy. Bio-oil can substitute for fuel oil, or be used as a crude oil and further refined into additional products. Transporting energy-dense bio-oil is more cost effective than transporting bulky, low-value biomass. In-woods pyrolysis can also address concerns over removing nutrients and carbon from forest sites through reapplication of bio-char, a pyrolysis byproduct, which is equivalent to the charcoal found in all fire ecosystems. Bio-char is 70-80 percent carbon and retains most nutrients contained in biomass. It can be used as a soil amendment to enhance soil productivity through a liming effect, which improves cation exchange capacity and base saturation, increasing anion availability, improving water holding capacity and decreasing bulk density.