Biofuels and Community Participation:
Engaging Process in the Emerging Bioeconomy

Environmental Resources Center
University of Wisconsin - Madison
www.uwex.edu/erc

University of Wisconsin Extension
Environmental Resources Center
445 Henry Mall
Madison, WI 53706
608-262-0024

Project Personnel

Sharon Lezberg, Coordinator, slezberg@wisc.edu

Project Participants

  • Andrew Dane, Community Development Educator, Barron and Chippewa County UW-Extension
  • Diane Mayerfeld, SARE State Coordinator, Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems
  • Alan Turnquist, Outreach Specialist, Program on Agricultural Technology Studies

Project Description

This project will provide training materials to Extension, NRCS educators and community stakeholders on ways to engage community members and stakeholders in assessing proposed bioenergy developments. The project team will review various frameworks for community engagement and will develop an inventory of strategies to encourage community participation in siting and development issues. We will identify assessment tools for community members to evaluate the pros and cons of bioenergy production. An in-service training program for Wisconsin based Extension agents will provide sessions on sustainability issues in the emerging bioeconomy, strategies for community involvement, and use of decision-making frameworks.

Reports and Products

  1. Checklist for community participation
  2. Corn grain ethanol case study (fabricated case) and natural step systems conditions review: this was an exercise utilized at a training in-service sponsored by the UWEX sustainability team. The materials were developed as part of a component on 'The Natural Step' and provided a case study to apply TNS systems condition review.
  3. Matrix analysis of impacts of bioenergy development (currently in development)

Funded by the USDA North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture, Research, and Education (SARE) Professional Development Program, St. Paul, Minnesota, www.sare.org/NCRSARE. Project time period January 2008-June 2010.

© 2009 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved.