Profitmaximizing forest management oriented on the rotation of the highest lev is chosen as the reference case for determining the sequestration rate without carbon credits. Management for carbon sequestration affects other gases that influence climate such as atmospheric concentrations of nitrous oxide and methane. Forest management and public policy can strongly influence the sequestration process. The june 20 ucce current forestry research webinar by bill stewart, a carbon calculator for sustainable forestry operations. Systems that provide prices for carbon sequestration or taxes for emissions can have important effects on emission and sequestration levels.
The valuation of ecosystem services from farms and forests. Carbon sequestration and its impacts on forest management in. Global change will impact carbon mitigation in the forest sector but the magnitude and direction of this impact cannot be predicted with confidence as yet. Carbon sequestration and its impacts on forest management. Net fluxes and gross sinks of carbon for the worlds forests in pg c yr1 during 2000. Forest management for carbon conservation adapted from 41. The forest service has always led efforts to practice, develop, and demonstrate sound and sustainable management of forestbased resources. Forest management for carbon sequestration and climate. Terrestrial carbon sequestration has a potential role in reducing the recent increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide co2 that is, in part, contributing to global warming. Forest carbon conservation and management pinchot institute for. Forest carbon solutions for mitigating climate change. We analyzed the effects of harvesting, thinning, fertilization application, drainage, tree species selection, and control of natural disturbances on soil c dynamics. Although carbon stored in forests constitutes approximately 68 percent of us terrestrial carbon stocks liu et al.
Forests can play a role in carbon sequestration and mitigating co2 emissions. Estimated values of carbon sequestration resulting from forest management scenarios. Carbon is captured not only in tree biomass but also in forest soils. Pdf forest management and carbon sequestration in wood products. In particular, we will study the economics of such steady state forest management solutions and conclude that the cost of these schemes is significantly lower than that of the present. Carbon sequestration in soils over the past 150 years. Estimated values of carbon sequestration resulting from forest. A critical gap in the life cycle of wood products is to transfer the raw timber from the forest to the processing wood industry and, thus, the primary wood products. The differentiation between forest stand and forest enterprise is chosen to analyze the case of afforestation on bare land stand level and the case of existing forest. How strongly can forest management influence soil carbon.
States can offer forest offsets by establishing markets that create an economic value for activities that have positive impact on carbon sequestration and storage. Carbon storage models are models that foster the growth of forest. Assuming that there are no other forest carbon sequestration incentives or forest conservation policies in effect, we estimate that if woody biomass demand rises to 4 billion m 3 year, as under rcp 1. The size of the global forest carbon sink has increased alongside. The business of carbon credit trading for forest landowners. Forest carbon solutions for mitigating climate change american.
An analysis of common forest management practices for. Pdf forest management and carbon sequestration in size. But, according to sciencebased assessments2of the forest resource, without additional strategies. Forest management may play an important role in climate change mitigation. Site preparation burning, fertilizing, thinning, salvage cuts, hardwood control, livestock grazing, and many other management activities influence carbon storage in a forest stand, and are also important for the health and vitality of a growing forest. Forest management and public policy can strongly influence the sequestration. Sustainable forest management has been shown to be an effective method to counteract these risks. A compilation of c accumulation rates in northern peatlands indicated a longterm average rate of c accumulation of 24. It has been proposed as a way to slow the atmospheric and marine accumulation of greenhouse gases, which are released by burning fossil fuels. Dec 04, 2005 in contrast, forested peatlands of western and central canada, where precipitation is predicted to decrease, should have a reduction in their c sequestration rates and or could become a c source. Forest carbon sequestration resources for the future. Fire damage risk can be reduced with understory management, thinnings, and creation of fire breaks when applied appropriately. The forest service has always led efforts to practice, develop, and demonstrate sound and sustainable management of forest based resources. Forest management can generate greenhouse gas ghg benefits, either by increasing carbon sequestration storage or by avoiding emissions.
An analysis of forestry carbon sequestration as a response. Activities such as reforestation, fertilization and tree improvement can significantly increase carbon sequestration in forests, while reducing slash pile burning decreases emissions and improves air quality. Carbon sequestration describes longterm storage of carbon dioxide or other forms of carbon to either mitigate or defer global warming and avoid dangerous climate change. Forest inventory and analysis national program forest carbon. The role of forests in reducing atmospheric carbon. Pdf wood products are considered to contribute to the mitigation of carbon dioxide emissions. Managing forest carbon stocks is critical for mitigating increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. Forests can play a large role in climate change through the sequestration or emission of carbon, an important greenhouse gas. Effects of forest management on productivity and carbon. Forestry management activities, such as reforestation or harvesting, can be significant sources or sinks for carbon. Carbon sequestration and its relationship to forest. A toolkit for state governments created by the forest climate working group 3 role of private and familyowned working forests.
From the onset of european settlement to the start of the last century, changes in u. Effects of carbon sequestration rewards on forest management. Forest management practices that increase carbon sequestration include. Carbon sequestration via forest management techniques. Forest management and public policy can strongly influence. Longterm carbon sequestration potential in soils is assessed through the ratio of heterotrophic respiration to total detritus production, which indicates that i the forest soils may be losing more carbon on an annual basis than they regain in detritus, and ii the deficit appears to be greater in managed forests. Managing for forest carbon under changing climatic conditions underscores a need for resources that help identify adaptation actions that align with carbon management.
Integration with sustainable forest management for multiple. However, several studies have indicated that on a shorttime scale and given the proper conditions, these. An analysis of forestry carbon sequestration as a response to. Forest management in southern china generates short term. Timber inventory data from two california watersheds, located within the mixedconifer forest zone, were analyzed to. For example, converting farmlands to forests or wetlands may increase carbon sequestration, enhance wildlife habitat and water quality, and increase flood. Incentives for carbon sequestration using forest management. Carbon markets provide a financial incentive to implement forest management practices that reduce or sequester additional atmospheric carbon. Economic policies can provide incentives for both forest expansion and contraction. Wind damage risk can be reduced by using wind resistant species, adjusting.
The term carbon sequestration is used to describe both natural and deliberate. Forest carbon initiative province of british columbia. The most important category for landbased activities like forestry is opportunity cost. Forest management for carbon sequestration and climate adaptation.
Therefore, often rough estimates are used for this step to obtain total forestry carbon balances. Pdf forest management for carbon sequestration and climate. Forest management and carbon sequestration in sizestructured forests. The section begins with an overview of accounting for forest carbon, then discusses the carbon consequences of forest management practices, the effects of changes in land use, and leakage. Pdf carbon sequestration and forest management lars. Although carbon stored in forests constitutes approximately 68 percent of us terrestrial carbon stocks liu. Carbon sequestration and its impacts on forest management in the northeast developed for the north east state foresters association december 19, 2002 disclaimer. Forest management and carbon sequestration in wood. This publication provides an overview of carbon sequestration and helps inform forest landowners about the business of carbon credit trading. Carbon sequestration or carbon dioxide removal cdr is the longterm removal, capture or sequestration of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to slow or reverse atmospheric co2 pollution and to mitigate or reverse global warming carbon dioxide co2 is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical, and physical processes. We conclude that the expanded use of wood for bioenergy will result in net carbon benefits, but an efficient policy also needs to regulate forest carbon. In recent years, forestbased actions have gained additional policy relevance as many countries have included forest sequestration activities in their nationally determined contributions toward. A landowners guide to carbon sequestration credits center for integrated natural resources and agricultural management and the commonwealth project 2007 pdf, 1.
These trends could be affected by forest management in forested peatlands and by changes in fire cycles. We developed the forest carbon management menu to help translate broad carbon management concepts into actionable tactics that help managers reduce risk from expected climate. A major focus is the means by which forests and forest management can contribute to the sequestration of carbon. Incentivizing both woodbased bioenergy and forest sequestration could increase carbon sequestration and conserve natural forests simultaneously. A long literature establishes that forests are an efficient carbon sink through actions such as afforestation, forest management, and reduced deforestation 15. A toolkit for state governments created by the forest climate working group forest landowners provide this baseline carbon capture and other environmental and economic benefits essentially for free. Forest carbon sequestration and carbon management national. The american forest foundation is one of the only conservation organization in the u.
Carbon sequestration through sustainable forest and. Pdf forest management for carbon sequestration and. When managed in an unsustainable manner, or when existing forests are cleared and converted to non forest land uses e. The forest service has developed regional carbon assessment reports whitepapers to help forest managers and the public understand how much carbon is stored.
Forest management options for carbon sequestration. Estimated values of carbon sequestration resulting from. Wood products are considered to contribute to the mitigation of carbon dioxide emissions. The section then concludes with a summary of existing federal programs that could affect forest carbon sequestration.
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