Marginal lands: Concept, classification criteria and management

The concept of marginal land has been broadly applied, yet a generalised understanding and knowledge of marginal land in terms of concept, assessment, and management are limited and diverse. The definition of marginal land and assessment methods vary across time, space and discipline to meet multiple management goals. In this report we explore current definitions and how they influence assessments of the availability of marginal lands within the UK and
Europe. We use this to make recommendations for the most appropriate application of the marginal land concept in relation to bioenergy cropping. In other words, where the opportunities are to plant energy crops and with what potential impacts.