image: Mature mesic temperate forest in western Oregon, USA. view more
Credit: PNAS
Researchers evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of forest management strategies in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Strategies aimed at mitigating carbon dioxide emissions related to forestry have been proposed. However, regional assessments of such strategies are limited. Beverly Law and colleagues developed a framework to consider the effectiveness of various strategies in increasing forest carbon sequestration and reducing forest sector emissions in Oregon, a region containing forests with high biomass and carbon sequestration potential. Using a combination of field observations, high-resolution modeling, and simulations, the authors examined emissions related to forest activities including reforestation, afforestation--the process of growing forests where they have not existed recently--and harvest cycles, including projections till the year 2100. The authors found that the net ecosystem carbon balance (NECB), which is a measure of net ecosystem production minus losses from fire emissions and harvest, was equivalent to 72% of the total forest sector emissions in Oregon during 2011-2015. By 2100, however, the forest strategies resulted in a 56% increase in NECB, with lengthened harvest cycles on private lands and harvest restrictions on public lands contributing to most of the change; the strategies also had associated benefits for water availability and biodiversity. According to the authors, the framework could facilitate forestry assessments in other temperate regions.
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Article #17-20064: "Land use strategies to mitigate climate change in carbon dense temperate forests," by Beverly Law et al.
MEDIA CONTACT: Beverly Law, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR; tel: 541-737-6111, 541-990-1810; e-mail: <Bev.Law@oregonstate.edu>
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences