Sustainable Use of Forest Biomass for Energy

From time immemorial, firewood has been a very important source of energy for mankind. Later in history, wood for energy decreased its importance because of other more convenient and cheaper sources, mainly fossil fuels. Today, focus is again on use of forests as a producer of energy with main drivers being climate change, shortage and increasing prices of fossil fuel sources, and safety in energy supplies. However, intensive use of forest biomass is qu- tioned since fundamental ecological processes may be influenced negatively thus making up a trade-off with the benefits of using an otherwise sustainable source of energy. In this book, selected aspects of intensive use of forest b- mass for energy is treated with main focus on ecological aspects like maintenance of soil fertility, recycling of the combustion ash, inf- ence on biodiversity and pests, and economical aspects both at forest owners level and for society. Another focus point is the implemen- tion of this knowledge into decision support, recommendations and guidelines. The geographical scope is mainly the Nordic and Baltic region. The EU-financed project “Wood for Energy, - a contribution to the development of sustainable forest Management” (WOOD-EN- 1 MAN) , make up the frame for the book. Seven partners participated in the project: Forest & Landscape Denmark, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, Lithuanian Forest Research Institute, Latvian State Forestry Research Institute, and Estonian University of Life Sciences with Forest & Landscape Denmark as coordinator.

With the large-scale utilization of forest biomass for energy still in its infancy, there is an urgent need to understand the short- and long-term consequences of intensive forest biomass harvesting - both on the forest ecosystem and on forest economics.

Sustainable Use of Forest Biomass for Energy draws on the vast body of knowledge of forest ecology and management in the Nordic-Baltic region, with the aim of bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and general principles on the one hand, and more concrete practical forest management and policy development on the other. The focus on the Nordic and Baltic countries makes it possible to compare two groups of countries in Europe which have similar ecological conditions, but substantial differences in both their economic frameworks and, consequently, their need to overcome barriers to increased use of forest biomass for energy.

In this ground-breaking book, Nordic and Baltic scientists from ecological, economic, social, and technological disciplines join forces to synthesize current knowledge, generate new data, describe cases, and create a solid basis for the future development of management recommendations for forest energy harvesting and wood ash recycling.

Providing tools and information for improved evaluation the real sustainability of a given management regime, this book is indispensable reading for forest scientists and managers, forest extension, forest and energy policy makers and the energy sector.