A novel, integrated approach to assessing social, economic and environmental implications of changing rural land‐use: a case study of perennial biomass crops

Abstract

1. Concern about climate change and energy security is stimulating land-use change, which in turn precipitates social, economic and environmental responses. It is predicted that within 20 years in the UK, bioenergy crops could occupy significant areas of rural land. Among these, dedicated biomass crops, such as Miscanthus ( Miscanthus spp.) grass and short rotation willow ( Salix spp.) coppice, differ significantly from arable crops in their growth characteristics and management. It is important that the potential impacts of these differences are assessed before large-scale, long-term planting occurs. 2. We used a Sustainability Appraisal Framework (SAF) approach to landscape planning in the UK to identify stakeholder aspirations (objectives) and associated criteria (indicators) for the planting of dedicated biomass crops. 3. The use of environmental and physical constraints mapping allowed the SAF to focus only on environmentally-acceptable locations, thereby avoiding unsustainable trade-offs. The mapping identified 3·1 million ha of land in England as suitable for planting, suggesting the UK government target of 1·1 million ha by 2020 is feasible. 4. Evaluation of the SAF identified that while biodiversity was of concern to stakeholders, some current indicators of biodiversity are not appropriate. Butterfly abundance proved the most appropriate indicator, and it was found that total abundance was greater in field margins of both willow and Miscanthus biomass crops than in arable field margins. 5. Synthesis and applications. The potential conflicts of assuring food security, water availability, energy security and biodiversity conservation are recognized as a key challenge by governments worldwide. Methods with which decision-makers can compare the performance of different land-use scenarios against sustainability objectives will be crucial for achieving optimized and sustainable use of land-based resources to meet all four challenges. Using biomass crops planting as an example, this work illustrates the potential of a Sustainability Appraisal Framework, subject to identification and agreement of appropriate indicators, in securing a holistic understanding of the wide-ranging implications of large-scale, long-term changes to rural land-use in the wider context of sustainable land-use planning per se .

Re-evaluating Sustainability Assessment: Aligning the vision and the practice

“…Thérivel et al (2009) indicted that none of the 45 SAs investigated specifically referred to any situation where environmental loss had been compensated by socio-economic gain, so it appears unlikely that there was explicit application of weak sustainability principles (although this might be the implicit outcome) and more likely that no sustainability principles were explicitly applied. Haughton et al, (2009) Reserve (Pope et al, 2004;Pope et al, 2005), there were ultimately environmental trade-offs in favour of the principally economic benefits that the project would deliver. Likewise, despite rigorous commitments to mitigation and follow-up strategies, the South-West Yarragadee groundwater extraction proposal if implemented would have caused some significant impacts on groundwater dependent ecosystems (Environmental Protection Authority, 2006).…”

“…There is an extensive literature on the development of indicators, some of which examines the best approach for producing complete sets to be used in the assessment (e.g., Donnelly et al, 2006;McCool and Stankey, 2004), whilst other literature focuses on the derivation of indicators specific to particular impacts, for example biodiversity (e.g., Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, 2007;Haughton et al, 2009), or social impacts (e.g., Cloquell-Ballester et al, 2006;Valentin and Spangenberg, 2000). However, Bell and Morse (2008) point to a debate over the degree to which an SA should be reductionist, in that it attempts to break down a very complicated natural and anthropogenic system into a few component parts, and the degree to which it should be holistic.…”

Linking biomass production in short rotation coppice with soil protection and nature conservation

“…Another planning approach, the sustainability appraisal framework (SAF), also includes the economic and social implications of a land-use change due to increased biomass production (Haughton et al 2009). …”

High-Precision Land-Cover-Land-Use GIS Mapping and Land Availability and Suitability Analysis for Grass Biomass Production in the Aroostook River Valley, Maine, USA

“…For example, experimental plots of reed canary grass and switchgrass in three separate trial sites grown in the study area in 2010, 2011, and 2012 demonstrated that good soil drainage produced higher biomass yield [30]. In general, suitable land for growing perennial energy grasses for a high yield shall have good soil drainage, loam or loamy soils, a "not hydric" rating, and low slope steepness [31][32][33] (Table 1). As indicated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the United States Department of Agriculture [34], fields with steep or irregular terrain and excessively wet areas shall be avoided because of their negative effect on stand establishment and management and on field and harvest operations.…”

“…Non-Suitable Soil Drainage [26][27][28][29] Well drained to somewhat poorly drained Poorly to very poorly drained Soil Hydric Rating [34] Not hydric soils Hydric soils Soil Type [35,36] Loam or loamy, sandy soils Heavy clay soils Slope [31][32][33] Low (for example, equal or less than 15%) High (for example, higher than 15%) Figure 3. Flowchart showing methodological steps of the GIS mapping in this study.…”