Research Outputs

Findings and Implications to practice

There is a development away from the traditional approach of choosing the cheapest or easiest way to get rid of biomass towards selection based on sustainable biomass uses. However, there is a lack of applicable, objective ranking instruments which results in a trial and error approach and uncertainty. Our results can help water managers to shape their tendering procedures to make optimal use of residual biomass as an ecosystem service. Traditional organizational arrangements of ‘tenancy’ and ‘passed to adjoining landowner’ result mostly in the more traditional biomass uses such as hay, grazing, leave at the site and local soil application. The organizational arrangements that transfer the responsibility for biomass use to contracted market parties deliver a greater variety of biomass uses, including some newer applications for bio-energy (e.g., biogas, woodchips) and bio-based products (e.g., grass fibers). Greater control of the water management organizations over biomass use via ‘pre-determined use’ and ‘in-house’, does not result in the same variety but some organizations are engaging in pilot experiments.