Designer landscapes for sustainable biofuels.
Journal article

Designer landscapes for sustainable biofuels.

  • Koh LP Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, Zürich 8092, Switzerland.
  • Levang P
  • Ghazoul J
  • 2009-06-06
Published in:
  • Trends in ecology & evolution. - 2009
English Oil palm is one of the most extensively cultivated biodiesel feedstocks worldwide, and expansion of its cultivation poses a significant threat to ecosystems, biodiversity and potentially the global climate. We evaluate the prospects of land sparing and wildlife-friendly farming, two contrasting approaches for reducing the impacts of oil palm agriculture. We draw on concepts from both approaches to suggest more sustainable production systems and argue that landscapes under threat from oil palm expansion need to be designed in recognition of biodiversity, economic and livelihood needs. Specifically, we advocate agroforestry zones between high conservation value areas and intensive oil palm plantations to create a more heterogeneous landscape benefiting both biodiversity and rural communities. Similar principles could apply to biofuel systems elsewhere.
Language
  • English
Open access status
closed
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Persistent URL
https://sonar.ch/global/documents/123703
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