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Community Decisions and Public Perceptions about Using Wood for Energy

Community Decisions and Public Perceptions about Using Wood for Energy. Martha C. Monroe, Annie Oxarart, and Jessica Tomasello. Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007. What’s Coming. Why bother Overview of our study How the public might perceive woody biomass for energy

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Community Decisions and Public Perceptions about Using Wood for Energy

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  1. Community Decisions and Public Perceptions about Using Wood for Energy Martha C. Monroe, Annie Oxarart, and Jessica Tomasello Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  2. What’s Coming • Why bother • Overview of our study • How the public might perceive woody biomass for energy • What this means for outreach efforts Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  3. Why Bother? • Public support can keep projects alive • Lack of public support can destroy projects • Public participation can improve project design • Public agencies need public support • But it requires education and outreach Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  4. What We Heard • But what will happen to our forests? • Haven’t we progressed beyond wood? • As long as you only burn waste material, that would be fine. • Burning wood puts more carbon in the air. • What will prevent a farmer from planting an invasive exotic just to make money? Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  5. Public Perceptions Inform Outreach Materials • Alachua County is discussing new wood to energy facility • Interviewed people to understand concerns Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  6. Our Survey 1517 residents of single-family and mobile homes in Alachua County, FL in fall 2006, 19.6% response rate 22 questions: (1) Awareness and knowledge (2) General impressions (3) Misconceptions (4) Trust (5) Community participation (6) Demographic questions  Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  7. A Hypothetical Town Meeting with Green Electric Utility Company Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  8. Energy Illiteracy • 12% of Americans can pass a basic energy quiz • Our respondents: 54% “not at all knowledgeable” about using wood for energy • 5% “very knowledgeable” Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  9. Preferred Energy Source Farhar 1999, U.S. Department of Energy

  10. Preference for Renewable Energy Farhar 1999, U.S. Department of Energy Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  11. Climate Change Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  12. Attitudes toward using wood 1 = not at all important; 5 = extremely important Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  13. More evidence • If we are going to use wood for energy, it is most important that we manage the forest sustainably for wildlife, water quality, and wood production (3.71). • As long as waste wood is being burned, we should collect it and use the energy (3.27). 1=strongly disagree 4= strongly agree Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  14. Sources of Wood • 71% support using waste wood • 61% support using wood grown for energy Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  15. Questions Remain • What species would be grown? • How would forests be managed? • How much more frequently will harvests occur? • Can the ecosystem sustain the increased pressure on forests? • Bioenergy could bring changes to Southern forests and forest management as significant as pine plantations were to natural forests Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  16. Public Trust Sources of information about woody biomass that survey respondents consider most reliable are: • local foresters (2.2) • environmental groups (2.2) • extension agents (2.1) Least reliable sources: • local businesses • industry (both scoring 1.6) 3-point scale where 1 is not at all reliable and 3 is very reliable Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  17. Public Trust • Barriers to Trust • Uncertainty • Exclusion • Building Trust • Education • Communication Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  18. Public Involvement • 53% believe that the community would be influential in a proposed project. • 54% are interested in participating in the decision-making process. Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  19. Factors in outreach 1) local forests and air quality are important 2) waste wood is okay 3) solar and wind are best 4) burning wood increases CO2, 5) healthy forests have no management, 6) foresters, environmental groups, and extension agents are reliable sources of information. Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

  20. Questions? Woody Biomass Outreach Training September 11-12, 2007

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