Community Energy and Stewardship

Western forests, range and grasslands provide ecosystem services such as fish and wildlife habitat, ample supplies of clean water, and carbon sequestration that are essential for both biodiversity and humans. Many rural communities depend on these lands and waters for jobs and incomes in industries such as forest products, agriculture, ranching, fishing, and tourism. Urban areas, and the economy as a whole also depend on these lands and waters for hydropower production, raw materials, tourism, recreation, and many other functions. Ample research suggests, however, that global warming will place increasing stresses on ecosystems and biodiversity, and thus on the social and economic benefits they provide.

CLI’s Community Energy and Stewardship Program is engaged in research and technical assistance on alternative forms of land and water management and decision making that benefit the natural environment and people. Our Community Energy project is evaluating the pros and cons of different forms of distributive low and carbon neutral renewable energy production by experimenting with the use of waste bi-products from forest restoration and agriculture as feedstock for small-scale biomass heat and energy production. Our Community Stewardship project is experimenting with collaborative approaches to land and water management to determine their capacity to achieve the dual goals of building ecological resistance and adaptability to global warming and ecologically restorative businesses and jobs for rural residents.