Climate Change and
Carbon Management
USDA Forest Service
Research and Development
Dr. Richard A. Birdsey
Northeast Research Station
Dr. Alexander L. Friend
North Central Research Station
Forest Service Centennial Congress January 3-6, 2005
Carbon and Climate
CO2 Concentration (ppmv)
380
Atmospheric carbon
dioxide (CO2) has
increased by 25%
since 1900.
360
340
320
300
280
0
1880
1900
1920
1940
1960
1980
2000
Global temperature
has increased by
about 1.5F since
1880.
Source: Keeling, Whorf, and the Carbon Dioxide Research Group
http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/ftp/trends/co2/maunaloa.co2; Friedli et al. (1996)
http://cdiac.ornl.gov/ftp/trends/co2/siple2.013
How could
vegetation
change with
increasing
CO2 and
warmer
temps?
Current Climate
Warmer and wetter
Warmer and dryer
From Ron Neilson
The Link Between
Forests and Carbon
 Through photoCO2
synthesis, trees
remove CO2 from
the atmosphere and
store it.
 This
“carbon
sequestration”
slows the build-up
of CO2 in the
atmosphere.
Carbon is stored in a
variety of places…
Standing
dead trees
Live trees
Down
dead
wood
Understory
Forest
floor
Soil organic
carbon (1 m)
From Linda Heath
Role of U.S. Forests in Reducing
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
U.S. forests capture about
2 billion tons of carbon every
10 years, and counteract
10% of our fossil fuel
emissions.
25
Billion tons
20
15
10
This increase reflects the fact
that U.S. forest growth has
been increasing over the
past 50 years.
5
0
1953
1963
1977
1987
1997
Increasing carbon stocks in
U.S. forests (excludes soil carbon)
Heath and Smith 2003
How Can We Manage Carbon?


Storage of carbon in
forests and wood
products removes it
from the atmosphere.
Using wood for
energy replaces fossil
fuel; and CO2 emitted
is reabsorbed by
forests.
Carbon Sequestration
Bioenergy
Carbon Management
Opens New Horizons
 Carbon has economic value—about $2/ton in the
United States
 Markets are developing for trading carbon credits
(e.g., Chicago Climate Exchange)
 Carbon management of forests results in other
societal benefits:
•
•
•
•
•
Timber production
Biomass energy
Ecological restoration
Preservation
Clean water and air
Ecosystem Services
Capturing the financial benefits of a forest
ecosystem’s goods and services
In addition to timber, forests provide
many benefits:
 Clean water
 Wildlife habitat
 Recreation
 Carbon sequestration
The economic value of non-timber
benefits is substantial:
 Carbon sequestration by U.S.
forests may be worth more than
$1,000,000,000/year
Some Ecosystem Services can be
traded in the market place like other
commodities.
National Plan for Reducing
CO2 Emissions
 Guidelines for reporting greenhouse gas emissions are being
revised by a joint
USDOE/USDA effort
 CO2 is the focus
 Program is voluntary
 Entities that register real
increases in carbon storage
may receive transferable credits
 Plan facilitates new targeted
incentives for carbon
sequestration and greenhouse
gas reductions
In Summary
Forests can help
remove excess
CO2 from our
atmosphere while
improving the
quality of life for all
of us.
Acknowledgments: Funding for this exhibit and the programs represented from USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station,
North Central Research Station, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, and Michigan Technological University.