LAND USE CHANGE, CARBON, AND BIOENERGY RECONSIDERED

Many environmentalists are concerned that renewable bioenergy, such as corn or wood ethanol will not reduce carbon emissions but will deplete forests. Using a general stylized forest sector management model, our study examines the economic potential of traditional industrial forests and supplemental dedicated fuelwood plantations to produce biomass on submarginal lands not suitable for most crop agriculture. The study finds that forests can economically produce large levels of biofuel without compromising crop production, thereby avoiding price pressures that lead to cropland conversion and carbon emissions.