BEE 6640 - Sustainable Bioenergy Production on Marginal Lands of New York and the Northeast

(CU-SBY)

Spring (offered on demand). 1 credit. Student option grading.

B. Richards.

Marginal agricultural lands are an oft-cited but largely untapped regional resource base for bioenergy crop production. They constitute the primary available land base for production of second generation bioenergy crops such as perennial grasses and short-rotation woody crops in New York and the Northeast. In this broadly multidisciplinary seminar series, we will explore the challenges of and opportunities for using marginal lands from multiple viewpoints: researchers, agency personnel, and bioenergy advocates.

Outcome 1: Our goal is to expose participants to issues involved in the development of low-cost sustainable perennial bioenergy feedstock production based on marginal lands of New York and the Northeast. Seminar outcomes: Having heard and interacted with speakers representing a broad spectrum of disciplines and perspectives (ranging from academic researchers to practitioners to policy advocates), participants will be better able to understand, evaluate, and/or contribute to the development of bioenergy resources in the region. Participants will develop an appreciation for challenges of bioenergy development and the cross-disciplinary efforts required to address them.