Tiptoe Through the Forest, or Stomping Down the Woods- Using Biomass as a Renewable, Carbon Neutral Source of Fuel This panel will explore the feasibility of biomass as a solution to meeting carbon emissions goals and enriching the local economy. How carbon neutral is it? What are the benefits and tradeoffs of turning to the forest for more trees? What lessons have been learned from Middlebury's $12 million biomass gasification system to heat and power the campus? Are there practices for taking more wood from the forest that do no harm to the ecosystem services it provides and are they being followed? Can fallow agricultural land play a role in this balancing act? These and other issues will be addressed by the panelists with sufficient time for a robust dialogue with the audience.
