Can Vermont’s Forests Help Us Achieve Carbon Neutrality?
As interest in finding local energy sources has risen in recent years, Vermont’s landscape is increasingly being looked to as a source of local, renewable fuel. In this course, we will explore the ecological consequences of increased use of forests for energy production and examine how the shift towards biomass-based energy contributes to Middlebury’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality. Using both published research and our own field investigations at local research sites, we will explore the ability of the local landscape to supply biomass, and consider the possible unintended ecological consequences of that change in land use. 3 hrs sem.