Download Wood as energetic biomass - threats and opportunities

Wood as energetic biomass –
threats and opportunities
Zdeněk Poštulka
Hnutí DUHA – FoE ČR
What are the threats?
 1.
Forest over cropping – using all
the biomass – causing erosion,
nutrient imbalance, decrease of
biodiversity
 2.
Establishing monocultures and
plantations of non native species
Addressing threats of 1.
 Strict
forest categorization
(specific zones) using multi variant
analysis and spatial planning
methods.
 Addressed
variables: soil erosion,
run off, water quality, slope
stabilisation, soil nutrients,
biodiversity, recreation
Adressing erosion, water retention and water quality
- protective forests along streams
Adressing threats of 2.

Based on the previous zonation of forest, there should
be worked out areas

1. suitable for plantations (energy first),

2. suitable for biodiversity rich energetic woods
(balanced wood production, biodiversity, erosion-flood
control)

3. areas with close to the nature forests without
energetic use (soil, biodiversity protection first, wood
for constuction, fuel second)

4. no-go zones with ancient forests (soil, water
protection, biodiversity, carbon sequestration).
What are the opportunities?
 Landscape
restoration,
implementing adaptation
measures
 Developing
carbon credit systém
and offsetting schemes for
landscape and ecosystems
1
tree -20 – 30 kW, 10 air condition units
• "Our work suggests that the
.
impacts of human-caused
landcover changes on climate are
at least as important, and quite
possibly more important than
those of carbon dioxide," said
Roger Pielke, Sr., an atmospheric
scientist at Colorado State
University, Fort Collins, Colo.,
 "Through
landcover changes over
the last 300 years, we may have
already altered the climate more
than would occur associated with
the radiative effect of a doubling
of carbon dioxide."

Forests and peatlands have a unique role
to play in the battle against climate
change. Living forests and peatlands can
sequester carbon emissions, while dying
ones release previously stored carbon.

Every year the annihilation of these two
habitats generates more greenhouse gas
than every car, truck, train and plane on
earth. This is roughly the same as the
amount of CO2 that is emitted by the
United States or China each year.

In the UK alone, biofuel subsidies cost
£550 million annually. In 2005, a similar
investment in preventing forest and
peatland deterioration could have
offset the equivalent of up to 37% of all
UK CO2 emissions. Yet current
government policy places no value on
restoring forests and peatlands.
 Supporting
EU policies

Water framework directive – water quality

Flood directive – water quantity

Natura 2000, Convention on biological diversity

Climate adaptation and mitigation policies –
carbon sequestration, energetic biomas,
microclimate
Basic variables – multicriteria
analysis
 Life
cycle analysis
 Cost
benefit analysis
 Biodiversity,
Natura 2000 impact
assesment
 Carbon
sequestration, climate
change adaptation and mitigation
 Water
retention, flood and drought
prevention, erosion protection
Win-win systems
 1.
river-floodplain restoration,
coppice, coppice with standards
 2.
No intervention forests (carbon
sinkm erosion prevention...)
 3.Unstable
plantations´
diversification
 4.
coppice with standards
(coppice) on deep fertile soils
 6.
High forest on slopes
 7.
Untouched areas (carbon sink)
Areas suitable for coppice (willow plantations)
Examples:
 Plantations
-coppice (willows,
alnus, poplar)
Diverzification of unstable forests
Close the the nature forests „coppice with standards“
Mountain high forests – selective management
No – go forest zones
Achieving targets-assumptions

Adaptation measures closely linked to
flood protection and water quality

Offsetting schemes aimed at carbon
sequestration

Offsetting schemes aimed at
sustainable biomass production

Biodiversity is a landmark for
sustainable production systems(site
specificity means low energetic inputs
and maximal net production)
Support needed
 Framework
policies supporting
carbon sequestration and
landscape restoration schemes,
linked to water and biodiversity
policies
 Thank
you for your attention!