Landscape perspective on energy forests

In 1982-1983, a 70 ha energy forest project was established in an arable landscape in southern Sweden. Many aspects of the energy forest system were investigated. This paper reports mainly on the aesthetic impacts of the project at a landscape level. One effect is an increasing variation in the views and the aesthetic values of the arable land. The Salix crops introduce new colours into the arable landscape. The green colour of the Salix fields lasts longer in the autumn. Also, from year to year a spatial variation appears. The increasing wildlife shelter seems to make the fauna richer. Viewed as an energy crop only, the commercial competitiveness of energy forests is often low. However, if the benefits of energy crops as elements of the landscape are added, the socio-economic value could be substantial. Such landscape benefits include increasing biodiversity in the arable landscape, wind-shelter against soil erosion and snow, shelter for wildlife, the reduction of nitrogen leaching, views of the landscape and aesthetic considerations, and recovery of the organic soil component of arable land. An interesting question is whether or not energy forests grown on arable land are profitable from a socio-economic point of view when considering a more holistic evaluation of all the largely beneficial impacts of energy forests.