Forests and Solar Arrays

Many towns, cities and villages seek to find an appropriate balance between clearing forest to accommodate solar arrays and conserving forests to absorb carbon and maintain healthy ecosystems.

A consensus has emerged that the planet is warming. The vast increases in carbon dioxide caused by the burning of fossil fuels, combined with the cutting of vast tracts of forest, has upset the earth’s natural balance. One constructive response has been an effort to reduce the removal of forest and encourage the planting of trees and other carbon-absorbing plants. At the same time, solar panels have been developed as a clean means of capturing electrons. The more efficient production of these panels, in addition to generous tax and financial incentives, has reduced the cost of creating solar arrays.

Solar arrays need space, and sometimes the most cost effective space is forested land. The clearcutting of forests to erect solar arrays is common, as are protests against such forest removal. Conservationists remind us that forests provide many other benefits in addition to functioning as carbon-absorbing sponges. Forests play a major role in maintaining healthy ecosystems, providing habitat for plants, birds and animals. They filter air and absorb water, protecting against erosion and flooding. Forests provide recreational space for residents and visitors. 

Solar arrays are an important source of clean energy. However, the amount of land devoted to forests has been shrinking rapidly due to robust development. We should minimize the loss of forests, wildlife habitat, and wetlands that sequester carbon and provide other functions and values. These lands are an important part of the resilience of people and nature. Every effort should be made to site solar arrays on already developed properties including commercial and industrial sites, parking lots, commercial and industrial roof tops, capped landfills and developed municipal owned properties.

– Ray O’Conor is a Town of Wilton Councilman, served as Chairman of its Open Space Task Force, former Chairman of the Saratoga County Planning Board and is an advisory board member of the Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Saratoga PLAN.