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The wood energy market remains nascent in the UK, despite climate change policies and energy security concerns. Transaction costs have been identified as one barrier to woodfuel development. However, few studies provide explicit insights into such barriers to spontaneous exchange in this sector and how they influence its formation. The study approaches the development of woodfuel in the South West Region of England through Transaction Costs Economics (TCE) and aims to identify the appropriate governance structure of the supply chain as a response to existing transactions costs. When transaction costs increase, seamless market exchange gradually gives way to credible contracting and even to full vertical integration or unified ownership. The TCE approach provides insights to analyse friction and barriers to exchange and allows for a dialogue between economics, law and day-to-day business decision-making. Fuel procurement from woodfuel suppliers to woodfuel users is central to this project in looking at the barriers to exchange. Original data was collected through 42 in-depth interviews, mainly with suppliers themselves but also from Forestry Commission, regional agencies, NGOs and lobbies involved. The results suggest the influence of transaction costs. Also, there is some evidence that wood-energy regional actors are embracing organisational diversity from known rural business structures to less familiar ones in the UK, such as cooperatives and new partnerships as answers to, among other factors, transaction costs. The evidence suggests that not only support to demand and supply is necessary, as generally identified, but it is also needed at its interface by supporting the governance of the supply chain. Some practical implications for both public and private sectors are identified to better articulate the response to this need.

This thesis presents a local interpretation of an ecosystem approach; 'energyscapes' constructed through mixed methods, which captures private estate manager perception on land use, woodland expansion and collaboration over four case study areas in the Scottish Highlands. Each case study area of three contiguous estates forms a small landscape cluster, with every estate participating in field interviews, woodland planning and collaborative discussions. Private estates in Scotland cover a significant area of the Highlands and are dominated by traditional sporting interests and recreation that is not always considered compatible with woodland expansion, creating a culture of woodland neglect. Subsequently planting rates are falling and Scottish government woodland expansion targets are not being met, despite large areas of vacant land. Key areas of estate and woodland resilience are identified by land managers to improve social and structural connectivity using the novel landscape resilience mapping method, which presents land manager perceptions over a spatial scale linked to resilience concepts. The Forest Energy Tool developed in response to the need for economic justification for woodland expansion demonstrates the potential profitability of local woodfuel markets, as well as providing silvicultural treatments for further management aims. Estate resilience involves fostering effective integration between sporting uses, renewable energy and enhanced rural markets, such as value added forestry. Ecosystem approaches are normally expressed through aspirational policy that is difficult to translate into relevant practice for individual land managers. Energyscapes provides meaning to ecosystem approach policy through CBD principles and operational guidelines, and local practice; including integration of hydro schemes, forest energy and carbon sequestration at estate level and bridging of local and regional scales through six land manager identified landscape partnerships. However, developing leadership, as well as expertise and social capacity in landscape management, is required to mobilise such frameworks. Fundamental to realising these local ecosystem approaches is land manager trust and confidence, which can generate support for emerging land uses alongside tradition, increasing resilience by capturing and utilising the culture embedded within the landscape.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 2015. / Over 60% of the Swazi population resides in rural areas and rely on woodfuel for their daily cooking needs. Cooking with woodfuel on open fires is inefficient and unhealthy, leading to millions of deaths of women and children each year while also contributing to environmental degradation. This has necessitated the implementation of Government’s clean cookstoves programme in Swaziland. This study focused on household stove users in six chiefdoms in the Lower Usuthu Sustainable Land Management (LUSLM) Project area in Siphofaneni Swaziland. A survey conducted through the dissemination of a questionnaire was used to investigate how rural perceptions impact on the adoption of clean cookstove technologies as an alternative household energy technology contributing towards sustainable development in rural Swaziland. Results from this study indicate that although cooking on an open fire was the least desired cooking technology, only 2% of households in the project area own clean cookstoves and less than half of the households had knowledge of cookstoves. The study further revealed that over 80% of the households in the survey area would prefer using a clean cookstoves to reduce the labour intensive task of collecting firewood as well as reducing exposure to smoke. The households found to have some knowledge of the benefits of clean cookstoves indicated the willingness to pay for a clean cookstove; however, a third of the respondents indicated a preference of obtaining a free clean cookstove. The price and availability of the clean cookstove in rural areas were two main barriers to increased uptake of the stoves, coupled with the need to purchase new pots. Despite the general lack of awareness of these technologies, challenges such as danger of the stoves to children and stove durability were also cited. The results indicate the need for the ongoing clean cookstove programme being implemented by the Government of Swaziland to improve on its strategy, to focus on incorporation of perceptions of rural stove users in development of appropriate cookstove designs, distribution models, and the design and implementation of a cookstove quality control programme.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第23390号 / 農博第2463号 / 新制||農||1086(附属図書館) / 学位論文||R3||N5347(農学部図書室) / 京都大学大学院農学研究科森林科学専攻 / (主査)教授 北島 薫, 教授 神﨑 護, 准教授 三谷 羊平 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

Smallholder households in Haiti face many natural resource management challenges. Agricultural production occurs on deforested hillsides prone to erosion. Charcoal is in an important source of income, and woodfuel stocks are often over-exploited. Donor-funded projects and non- governmental organizations have made large investments in programs that promote soil conservation practices and reforestation. Despite the magnitude of the problems and the amount invested, there are relatively few economic analyses of the long-term adoption of soil conservation practices and woodfuel management. This dissertation uses an economics approach to examine the adoption of conservation practices and the management of woodfuel resources in Central Haiti using cross-sectional data covering 600 households. The results show that plot and household characteristics have different effects on adoption across different classes of soil practices, particularly with regard to perceived soil quality, market access, and household health status. The results also provide evidence of the management of charcoal woodfuel stocks on private land. These findings inform the design and targeting of new programs related to soil conservation and reforestation in Haiti and other developing countries. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The current ways in which the human population continues to utilise natural resources in order to satisfy their lifestyle remains unsustainable. One such activity is the use of biomass resources mainly for cooking, heating and boiling water which sustains an estimated 2.4 billion people living in developing countries. Biomass not only is the fourth largest energy source after coal, oil and natural gas, but it is currently the largest renewable energy option and yet it has received minimal attention especially from current energy debates in developing countries. Literature shows cases of cities that remain ‘uncertain’ of their development agendas (regarding energy). The uncertainty is a result of most cities relying heavily on fossil fuel which is in most cases imported which minimises the possibilities of cities to come up with sustainable energy projects. As cities continue to grow the supply of this unsustainable energy puts cities in an uncertain position regarding the future energy sources of their cities. There are cities that have now realised the importance of understanding the flow of wood fuels in order to put in measures that can help manage the resource better. Most of them use a GIS-based tool, Wood fuel Integrated Supply Demand Overview Mapping Model (WISDOM) which was developed to analyse the wood fuel supply and demand spatial patterns. Tsumeb is currently also moving in an ‘uncertain’ direction especially when it comes to the energy needs of the town characterised by high electricity tariffs, increased population leading to clearing of land, high unemployment rate and distorted priorities (of the municipality). The Material Flow Analysis (MFA) of wood fuels in Tsumeb is highly dominated by the informal sector. It remains unregulated and no attempt has been made to determine the household energy flow. This study is the first attempt to determine the flow of this very important household energy resource used more especially in winter. The survey revealed that firewood is used to prepare one to two meals a day especially in the townships where the households opt to consume one meal a day. Some consumers collect their own firewood and often have to purchase wood fuels to meet their individual needs. The wood fuel retailers that were surveyed in the study obtain their wood fuels from local commercial farmers and use charcoal produced both in Namibia and South African. The commercial farmers also form part of the informal sector as they supply some of the informal suppliers and consumers. Some informal suppliers resort to open forests located far from their homes, putting a lot of strain on the transport mechanisms. In order to ensure a sustainable supply of household energy in Tsumeb, It is inevitable that a new paradigm is needed in the current planning and development process of the town. Therefore for an effective implementation of policies aimed at developing wood fuels, local conditions as well as the local wood fuel flows must be understood, grassroots initiatives need to be built and community participation should be encouraged in order to get a collective approach to issues that concerns and threatens their livelihoods. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die wyse waarop die mensdom natuurlike hulpbronne aanwend om aan die eise van hul leefstyl te voldoen, bly onvolhoubaar. Een sodanige aktiwiteit is die gebruik van biomassahulpbronne, hoofsaaklik vir kosvoorbereiding en ruimte- en waterverhitting. Biomassahulpbronne onderhou geraamde 2,4 miljard inwoners van ontwikkelende lande. Dit is nie net die grootste energiebron naas steenkool, olie en aardgas nie, maar is ook tans die belowendste bron van hernubare energie. Tog ontvang dit weinig aandag. Hoewel literatuur steeds merendeels oor gevalle handel wat ‘onseker’ is oor hul ontwikkelingsagendas, is daar tóg diegene wat uiteindelik besef hoe belangrik dit is om die vloei van houtbrandstof te begryp ten einde maatreëls te tref om dié hulpbron beter te bestuur. Die meeste van hierdie lande gebruik GIS-gebaseerde instrument, naamlik die WISDOM-model (“Wood-fuel Integrated Supply Demand Overview Mapping”), wat ontwikkel is om die ruimtelike patrone van houtbrandstofvraag en -aanbod te ontleed. Die Namibiese stad Tsumeb is een van die ‘onsekeres’, veral wat sy energiebehoeftes betref, en word gekenmerk deur hoë elektrisiteitstariewe, groeiende bevolking wat al hoe meer ontbossing tot gevolg het, hoë werkloosheidsyfers en verwronge prioriteite. Die materiaalvloeiontleding wat in hierdie studie met betrekking tot die houtbrandstof in Tsumeb onderneem is, word in groot mate deur die informele sektor oorheers. Hoewel die gebruik van houtbrandstof steeds ongereguleerd is, is geen poging tot dusver aangewend om die vloei van dié uiters belangrike huishoudelike energiebron, wat veral in die wintermaande gebruik word, te bepaal nie. Die opname het getoon dat brandhout gebruik word om een tot twee maaltye per dag te berei, veral in die townships waar die huishoudings meestal een keer per dag eet. Party verbruikers maak hulle eie brandhout bymekaar, maar moet steeds bykomende hout koop om in ál hulle behoeftes te voorsien. Die houtbrandstofhandelaars wat aan die opname deelgeneem het, bekom hul houtbrandstof van plaaslike kommersiële boere en van Namibiese sowel as Suid-Afrikaanse houtskoolverskaffers. Die kommersiële boere maak ook deel uit van die informele sektor, aangesien hulle sommige informele verskaffers en verbruikers van brandstof voorsien. Van die informele verskaffers wend hulle tot die plaaslike oop woud wat ver van hulle huise geleë is, en plaas sodoende heelwat druk op vervoerstelsels. Die enigste manier waarop Tsumeb sy huidige energie-onsekerheid te bowe kan kom, is deur nuwe benadering tot houtbrandstof in te stel. Om beleid met betrekking tot die ontwikkeling van houtbrandstof doeltreffend toe te pas, moet plaaslike omstandighede sowel Die enigste manier waarop Tsumeb sy huidige energie-onsekerheid te bowe kan kom, is deur nuwe benadering tot houtbrandstof in te stel. Om beleid met betrekking tot die ontwikkeling van houtbrandstof doeltreffend toe te pas, moet plaaslike omstandighede sowelDie enigste manier waarop Tsumeb sy huidige energie-onsekerheid te bowe kan kom, is deur nuwe benadering tot houtbrandstof in te stel. Om beleid met betrekking tot die ontwikkeling van houtbrandstof doeltreffend toe te pas, moet plaaslike omstandighede sowel Die enigste manier waarop Tsumeb sy huidige energie-onsekerheid te bowe kan kom, is deur nuwe benadering tot houtbrandstof in te stel. Om beleid met betrekking tot die ontwikkeling van houtbrandstof doeltreffend toe te pas, moet plaaslike omstandighede sowel as die plaaslike vloei van houtbrandstof dus beter begryp word; moet inisiatiewe op voetsoolvlak tot stand gebring word, en moet gemeenskapsdeelname aangemoedig word. Sodoende sal die mense van Tsumeb – huishoudings, owerhede én ondernemings – gesamentlik kan reageer op kwessies wat hul bestaan beïnvloed en bedreig.

This is a study of the creation and evolution of state forestry within colonial Kenya in social, economic, and political terms. Spanning Kenya’s entire colonial period, it offers a chronological account of how forestry came to Kenya and grew to the extent of controlling almost two million hectares of land in the country, approximately 20 per cent of the most fertile and most populated upland (above 1,500 metres) region of central Kenya . The position of forestry within a colonial state apparatus that paradoxically sought to both ‘protect’ Africans from modernisation while exploiting them to establish Kenya as a ‘white man’s country’ is underexplored in the country’s historiography. This thesis therefore clarifies this role through an examination of the relationship between the Forest Department and its African workers, Kenya’s white settlers, and the colonial government. In essence, how each of these was engaged in a pursuit for their own idealised ‘good forest’. Kenya was the site of a strong conservationist argument for the establishment of forestry that typecast the country’s indigenous population as rapidly destroying the forests. This argument was bolstered against critics of the financial extravagance of forestry by the need to maintain and develop the forests of Kenya for the express purpose of supporting the Uganda railway. It was this argument that led the colony’s Forest Department along a path through the contradictions of colonial rule. The European settlers of Kenya are shown as being more than just a mere thorn in the side of the Forest Department, as their political power represented a very real threat to the department’s hegemony over the forests. Moreover, Kenya’s Forest Department deeply mistrusted private enterprise and constantly sought to control and limit the unsustainable exploitation of the forests. The department was seriously underfunded and understaffed until the second colonial occupation of the 1950s, a situation that resulted in a general ad hoc approach to forest policy. The department espoused the rhetoric of sustainable exploitation, but had no way of knowing whether the felling it authorised was actually sustainable, which was reflected in the underdevelopment of the sawmilling industry in Kenya. The agroforestry system, shamba, (previously unexplored in Kenya’s colonial historiography) is shown as being at the heart of forestry in Kenya and extremely significant as perhaps the most successful deployment of agroforestry by the British in colonial Africa. Shamba provided numerous opportunities to farm and receive education to landless Kikuyu in the colony, but also displayed very strong paternalistic aspects of control, with consequential African protest, as the Forest Department sought to create for itself a loyal and permanent forest workforce. Shamba was the keystone of forestry development in the 1950s, and its expansion cemented the position of forestry in Kenya as a top-down, state-centric agent of economic and social development.