Abstract
Although renewable energy holds great promise in mitigating climate change, there are socioeconomic and ecological tradeoffs related to each form of renewable energy. Forest-related bioenergy is especially controversial, because tree plantations often replace land that could be used to grow food crops and can have negative impacts on biodiversity. In this study, we examined public perceptions and ecosystem service tradeoffs between the provisioning services associated with cover types associated with bioenergy crop (feedstock) production and forest habitat-related supporting services for birds, which themselves provide cultural and regulating services. We combined a social survey-based assessment of local values and perceptions with measures of bioenergy feedstock production impacts on bird habitat in four countries: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and the USA. Respondents in all countries rated birds as important or very important (83–99% of respondents) and showed lower enthusiasm for, but still supported, the expansion of bioenergy feedstocks (48–60% of respondents). Bioenergy feedstock cover types in Brazil and Argentina had the greatest negative impact on birds but had a positive impact on birds in the USA. In Brazil and Mexico, public perceptions aligned fairly well with the realities of the impacts of potential bioenergy feedstocks on bird communities. However, in Argentina and the USA, perceptions of bioenergy impacts on birds did not match well with the data. Understanding people’s values and perceptions can help inform better policy and management decisions regarding land use changes.
Highlights
Climate change is arguably the greatest environmental and sociopolitical threat of our time
We censused the avian communities in 16 plots, four within each of four common land uses in Entre Ríos: (1) pastures used for livestock grazing and rotational annual crops; (2) large-scale eucalyptus plantations
The lowest percentages stating that these things were either important or very important to them were in Brazil (86%) and the USA (83%) but these percentages were still quite high
Summary
Climate change is arguably the greatest environmental and sociopolitical threat of our time Addressing it will require all available mitigation strategies, including increased development of renewable energy sources [1]. From 1990 to 2015, the area of land dedicated to tree plantations of mostly non-native eucalyptus and pine increased by 40%, and covers over one million ha in Corrientes, Entre Ríos and Misiones provinces [48] These fast-growing trees native to Australia (eucalyptus) and the southern United States (pine) were traditionally used for timber and wood pulp for paper, and the woody residues were burned on site to produce power at sawmills [33]. Both communities shared concerns about labor conditions on tree plantations and loss of cultural values [33]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
