The potential for carbon sequestration on family forestland
Responding to rapid climate change has been recognized as a major challenge our civilization will face in the coming decades (Gowdy, 2007). One potential tool for climate mitigation is sustainable forest management. Forest ecosystems play an important role in the global carbon cycle (Depro et al., 2008). Activities that maintain forest cover and increase biomass accumulation in forests and forest products are crucial for protecting existing carbon sinks and promoting additional carbon sequestration (NEFA, 2002). As climate changes, interest in the role of forests in mitigating greenhouse gas accumulation is growing as an important public policy issue. As the 8th most forested state in the country, Massachusetts has the responsibility and opportunity to contribute to climate mitigation. Roughly 62% of the state is forested and 78% of that land base is owned by 235,000 family forest owners (Alerich, 2000). It is the collective decisions of these landowners that will shape the potential of carbon sequestration in Massachusetts’ forests. Two questions arise. First, are the carbon sequestration mechanisms used in other states viable in Massachusetts, considering the large population of family forest owners statewide and their diverse background, needs, and concerns? Second, what policy tools may be used to promote carbon sequestration on family forestland and what specific parameters will affect policy effectiveness? Answering these questions will 1) address the need for mitigating CO2 emission under impending climate change; 2) identify new economic and social incentives for sustainable management of forest resources that benefit the forest, forest owners, and society; 3) inform the design of education and outreach programs to help family forest owners better understand the opportunities related to carbon sequestration and enable them to make informed decisions; and 4) provide a comprehensive understanding of carbon sequestration potential in Massachusetts and communicating this understanding with various stakeholders, including family forest owners, foresters, community planners, conservation organizations, extension educators, industries, and local, state and federal officials and policy makers. This project has been awarded full funding from the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station and UMass Extension for a duration of three years.
References
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Alerich, C.L. 2000, Forest Statistics for Massachusetts: 1985 and 1998. USDA Forest Service Resource Bulletin NE-148. Newtown Square, PA: USDA Forest Service.
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Depro, B. M., B. C. Murray, R. J. Alig, and A. Shanks. 2008.Public land, timber harvesting, and climate mitigation: quantifying carbon sequestration potential on U.S. Public timberlands. Forest Ecology and Management 255: 1122-1134.
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Gowdy, J. M. 2007.Behavior Economics and Climate Change Policy. Rensselaer Working Papers in Economics. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Troy, NY.
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North East State Foresters Association (NEFA). 2002. Carbon Sequestration and Its Impacts on Forest management in the Northeast. Retrieved on May, 2007, from http://www.nefainfo.org/publications.htm.
