Constitutions and the Commons looks at a critical but little examined issue of the degree to which the federal constitution of a nation contributes toward or limits the ability of the national government to manage its natural resources (or commons). Furthermore it considers how far the...

The southern United States is witnessing an economic and population boom, and development sprawl is increasing in proportion. Southern state and local jurisdictions maintain some of the least stringent land use regulations in the context of preserving open space and natural resources (or,...

While political rhetoric in the U.S. often frames regulatory limitations that have virtually any negative effect on property values as compensable, a number of doctrines represent the public's collective human right to a healthy environment free from compensation constraints. This chapter frames...

Wood pellet production facilities have spread rapidly across the southeastern United States over the last decade, a market driven largely by electricity generators in Europe converting from coal-fired to wood pellet-fired boilers. This has raised concerns that non-timber values of southern U.S....

“Woody” or “forest product-derived” biomass is not a major fuel source for electricity generation in the United States. This chapter first discusses the extent of its current use, and details some reasons for its limited use. Second, the chapter analyzes one scientific and policy debate...

Climate change will exacerbate disaster events in the U.S. South, and in particular wildfires. This article details the emergent climate-induced wildfire risks facing the U.S. South, describes how addressing those risks is particularly challenging in this region of the U.S., and provides some...

Recent research demonstrates the difficulties that federal systems of government may present for international treaty formation, a prime example being legally binding treaties aimed at harnessing global forests to regulate climate change. Some federal constitutions, such as the U.S. and Canadian...