Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Completed Competitive Grant

Assessment of woody biomass as a niche feedstock for biobased products in Iowa

Project ID: E2009-26

Abstract

This project carried out an assessment of the appropriate ecological, economic, technological, and social scaling factors of Iowa woody biomass resources to inform public policy initiatives as well as public and private investments in this valuable resource.

Key Question: The key questions about woody biomass in Iowa are: where is this material, in what form does this material exist and to what degree are the various decision makers interested in biomass management and regional bioenergy development?

Findings: By assessing existing forest resource inventory data and surveying or interviewing the key decision makers (private woodland owners in particular), the investigators were able to characterize a baseline understanding of the role that woody biomass can play in near- and far-term bioenergy development.

Lead investigator: John Tyndall, ISU Natural Resource Ecology and Management

Co-Investigator(s):

Jesse Randall, Tricia Knoot, Julie Blanchong, ISU Natural Resource Ecology and Management

Year of grant completion: 2012

This competitive grant project was part of the Leopold Center's Ecology Initiative.

Topics: Agroforestry, Bioeconomy and energy