Andres Susaeta

Developing Sustainability Indicators for Woody Biomass Harvesting in the United States

Bioenergy production has increased significantly in the last decade, and recent legislative efforts such as the discussion draft for the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 and the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 are expected to encourage even more growth. The growing demand for bioenergy will necessitate production of large quantities of woody biomass and plant residues if it is to be met. However, concerns are being raised as to how increased pressures will affect the sustainability of woody biomass. In order to avoid potential pitfalls and ensure the sustainability of wood-based bioenergy systems, a set of sustainability indicators needs to be developed. Some of these indicators can be based on standards similar to those developed for sustainable forest management, energy balances, greenhouse gas emission reductions, and existing codes and guidelines for biomass harvesting. This article discusses a potential set of sustainability indicators encompassing ecological, economic, and social principles for harvesting woody biomass for bioenergy. The extent to which existing standards and certification systems reflect these indicators is elaborated upon. Methods for making these standards operational are also suggested.

Sustainability of forest management under changing climatic conditions in the southern United States: adaptation strategies, economic rents and carbon sequestration.

The impacts of climate change on profitability and carbon storage in even-aged forest stands of two dominant commercial pine species, loblolly and slash pine, in the southern United States were assessed under alternative assumptions about the impact of climate change on forest productivity and catastrophic disturbance rates. Potential adaptation strategies to reduce losses from disturbance included: 1) alternative planting densities, and 2) planting slash pine instead of loblolly pine. In addition, the amount of sequestered carbon was used to develop an index of economic efficiency for carbon sequestration, which further helps rank the suitability of alternative adaptation strategies. Our results indicate that greater economic rents from forests occur with lower planting densities and the substitution of slash pine for high density loblolly pine. However, less carbon is sequestered by low density loblolly pine compared to slash pine and high density loblolly pine. Both adaptation strategies are economically more effective in terms of carbon sequestration compared to the baseline since they generate more economic revenues per Mg of sequestered carbon.

Impacts of Climate Change on Economics of Forestry and Adaptation Strategies in the Southern United States

This article analyzes the impacts of different levels of forest productivity scenarios, disturbance risk, and salvageable rates resulting from climate change on the economics of loblolly pine in the southern United States. Potential adaptation strategies examined include reduction in planting density and use of slash pine instead of loblolly pine. Economic returns are most sensitive to changes in disturbance risk and productivity changes as compared with the salvage rate, planting density, or species selection. Loblolly pine with low planting density economically outperforms high-density loblolly pine. Slash pine is generally a less viable option compared with loblolly pine in most cases.

Modelling the impacts of bioenergy markets on the forest industry in the southern United States

The main objective of this article was to analyse the impacts of emerging bioenergy markets on traditional forest product sector markets in the USA. An econometric model was developed to obtain the equilibrium estimates for the bioenergy and traditional forest markets. The results from the econometric model, using data-set for the state of Florida, suggested that biomass for bioenergy and pulpwood and biomass for bioenergy and sawtimber act as substitutes while sawtimber and pulpwood act as complements to each other. A price subsidy policy scenario was considered to simulate a 30% increase in the demand for biomass for bioenergy. The simulation results suggested that inclusion of this policy scenario might generate additional benefits to forest landowners and bioenergy sector, while sawmill and pulpmill sectors might face adverse financial impacts.

Expected Timber-Based Economic Impacts of a Wood-Boring Beetle (Acanthotomicus Sp.) That Kills American Sweetgum

Abstract American sweetgum trees (Liquidambar styraciflua L. [Altingiaceae]) in China are being killed by a newly discovered wood-boring beetle “sweetgum inscriber” (Acanthotomicus sp.). It has not been detected in the United States yet, but given the extent of trade with Asian countries, eventual arrival of this beetle is a serious concern. The American sweetgum is one of the main hardwood species in the southern United States, and provides several economic and ecological benefits to society. We present the first economic analysis of the potential damage from sweetgum inscriber (SI) to timber-based land values in the southern United States. We modeled economic impacts for a range of feasible SI arrival rates that reflect policy interventions: 1) no efforts to prevent arrival (scenario A, once every 14 and 25 yr), 2) partial prevention by complying with ISPM 15 standards (scenario B, once every 33 and 100 yr), and 3) total prevention of arrival (scenario C, zero transmission of SI). Our results indicated much lower land values for sweetgum plantations without the prevention on SI establishment (scenario A, US

Delhi Metro Rail Travel Behavior Analysis: Impact of Individual and Trip Characteristics

1,843–US

Random preferences towards bioenergy environmental externalities: a case study of woody biomass based electricity in the Southern United States

4,383 ha–1) compared with partial prevention (scenario B, US

MODELING IMPACTS OF BIOENERGY MARKETS ON NONINDUSTRIAL PRIVATE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

5,426–US

Impact of carbon value on the profitability of slash pine plantations in the southern United States: an integrated life cycle and Faustmann analysis

8,050 ha–1) and total eradication of SI (scenario C, US

Economics of intercropping loblolly pine and switchgrass for bioenergy markets in the southeastern United States

9,825). Across the region, upper bound timber-based economic losses to plantation owners is US