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ASSESSMENT OF THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY WOOD RESOURCES IN THE ABANDONED AGRICULTURAL LANDS IN LATVIA
Abstract
Renewable energy is one of the most lenient and convenient ways to get energy. With ongoing climate change and exhaustion of fossil fuels, we need to find and promote other alternatives to get the energy, and wood biomass is one of them. Historically Latvia has large areas of abandoned agricultural lands, that are overgrowing with various wood species, which could be used for energy production. The wood resources are natural, renewable and environmentally friendly. The purpose of research work is to assess the amount of energy wood resources in abandoned overgrown agricultural lands in Latvia. There were estimates made for the amount of biomass to be obtained on overgrown agricultural land, that has various wood species with different ages. To evaluate the biomass amount in country scale there were data obtained of several databasis like Central Statistical Bureau as well the data of State Forest Resources Monitoring realized by Latvian State Forestry Research Institute "Silava". To have the wood mass data of trees for construction of mass models, there were established sample plots at 4 different state regions where the tree dimensions and weight were measured. The analysis of the statistical data shows that there are approximately 4% of abandoned agricultural lands of the total state territory, from which 1/3 are meliorated lands. Large abandoned and overgrown agricultural lands are in Latgale Region. The data of sample plots in different regions suggests that amount of dry biomass of woody plants varies between 10 and 59 bulk m3 ha-1. Results of the mass models calculations by using the data of State Forest Resources Monitoring show that even 359 bulk m3 ha-1 or 100 tonnes of dry wood per hectare is possible at ten years old young growths on abandoned agricultural lands. This value in monetary terms comprises 3 630 ? ha-1.
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References8
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