@misc{10481/77368,
year = {2022},
month = {9},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/10481/77368},
abstract = {Forest biomass as a rural sustainable energy source has received much attention in recent
years due to its major economic, social, and environmental benefits. This research focuses on an
adapted methodology based on parameters of the Evaluation of Ecological Integrity for using sitespecific
information as a tool for the assessment of forest biomass as a source of rural sustainable
energy in Honduras, focusing on the Central American Pine–Oak Forests. The parameters used
were Percentage of Forest Cover (FC), Patch Area (AREA), Fractal Dimension Index (FRAC), and
Proximity Index (PROX). The goal was an average index rating of 5 for an ecosystem which is intact
or in its natural state. The findings showed an ecosystem degradation that was outside the range of
acceptable variation with a simple average of 1.75, which is far lower than the target rating of five
(5.0); the forest cover loss was 40% of the total area. This surprising finding shows that immediate
intervention is required to maintain this ecosystem, and that if action is not taken, the ecosystem will
suffer severe degradation. Decision makers must consider this methodology for using site-specific
information and ensure that local communities are involved in restoring the ecosystem.},
publisher = {MDPI},
keywords = {Ecological integrity},
keywords = {Renewable energy},
keywords = {Rural sustainable energy},
keywords = {Forest biomass},
keywords = {Honduras},
title = {A Tool for the Assessment of Forest Biomass as a Source of Rural Sustainable Energy in Natural Areas in Honduras},
doi = {10.3390/su141811114},
author = {Bardales, Menelio and Molina Moreno, Valentín and Ramos Ridao, Ángel Fermín},
}