Depending on where you sit, the southeastern U.S. has the most to gain, or possibly lose, in the fight to stop, or slow, climate change and produce a more secure fuel supply for our nation. Alternative fuels sit at the crossroads of these two concerns. And no matter what you think about climate change, increased investment in restoring and managing our forests and grasslands to optimize carbon uptake, managing forest fire emissions, and utilizing forest products for construction, packaging, and renewable energy gives us the best opportunity to not only address such, but will help Mississippi both environmentally and economically. Forest restoration and management could contribute more than one-third reduction in carbon emissions in the next 15 years.
Overall, our state is producing, on an annual basis, 1.3 tons of woody biomass for every 1 ton we remove. That means our state is growing woody biomass at a rate of 30% per year. And that is a long way from the growth rate of my 401(k)!
It is no question that alternative fuels have generated unprecedented attention, and the importance of trees as a biomass feedstock is becoming clear. Alternative fuels provide a unique opportunity to address needs ranging from energy security to addressing the concern of climate change to economic development, with solutions that include the creation of new opportunities and jobs at a much-needed time. These demands have led our federal government to develop initiatives and accelerated research and development at universities and by industry leaders.
Both the Department of Energy and Department of Agriculture have included trees and woody biomass in their research, including the existing resources of pre-commercial thinnings and harvest residues. The research suggests that more than 700 million dry tons of woody biomass could be used in biofuels production annually.
Mississippi’s forests have great potential to power the next generation of America’s alternative fuels. Our land and water resources, due to the length of our growing season and large amount of rainfall, provide an unmatched biomass resource. These lands can supply a large portion of renewable material, mostly small diameter trees and harvesting byproducts, that can be converted into alternative fuels.
And if the forest is man-
aged properly, we can continue to provide the thousands of wood products we need every day, as well as produce oxygen, sequester carbon dioxide, filter air and water, provide fish and wildlife habitat, including that for threatened and endangered species, improve the aesthetic beauty of the natural landscape, and provide opportunities for recreation and solitude, just to name a few—and do all of this while providing a carbon-neutral fuel in the process.
Mississippi and the rest of the South are at the crossroads where our energy infrastructure feels the impact of climate change. National security should demand we protect our region’s energy infrastructure by strengthening our biomass infrastructure, as both are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
James L. Cummins is executive director of Wildlife Mississippi, a non‑profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plant resources throughout Mississippi.
