Fuelwood

<font 12.0pt/inherit;;inherit;;inherit>Large swaths of forested land are one of the defining features of the Alps. These numerous forests provide for many social and economic benefits: one of the most significant being timber. Timber can be processed in numerous ways and serve a variety of purposes: from constructing buildings to being burned as fuel. Traditionally, fuel wood was used in homes all across the Alps. Today, the use of fuel wood is less consistent, and varies dramatically by region. However, as alternative and sustainable energy sources become more sought after, fuel wood is once again becoming a vital energy source across the region.</font>

<font 12.0pt/inherit;;inherit;;inherit>In order to better understand the benefits humans derive from fuel wood, it is important to identify how much wood ecosystems supply, how much wood humans take from these systems, and finally how much demand exists for heating that could be met by this source. Many factors affect these values, such as the rate at which a forest grows, how accessible wood resources are for extraction, and the caloric content of wood used for heating.</font>

<font 12.0pt/inherit;;inherit;;inherit>This suite of indicators evaluates these three components and maps them across the Alpine Space. By doing so, this ecosystem service can be included in adaptive management that meets the heating and energy needs of the present and the future.</font>