Forest Carbon Inventorying, Modeling, and Policy Linkages: An Assessment of State-level Readiness, Motivations, and Needs in USFS Region 9
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EmailForests stand to play a multifaceted role in climate change mitigation due to their potential for increased carbon sequestration, storage, and substitution. In turn, forest carbon inventorying and modeling are crucial steps in determining how to effectively manage forests for carbon and assessing the impacts of varied forest policies and management practices on future carbon dynamics. Despite the environmental impetus and increasing political motivation, only a fraction of states has undertaken forest carbon modeling efforts to inform policy and planning. Forest carbon inventorying and modeling at the state level can be both expensive and time-intensive; both require a certain degree of institutional capacity (in terms of expertise and resources) and agency or political prioritization.
As a component of the Forest Carbon Data and Modeling Integration and Evaluation Project, made possible with support from the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Eastern Region (USFS Region 9), Michigan State University’s Forest Carbon and Climate Program (FCCP) has undertaken an assessment of state-level experiences, readiness, motivations, barriers, and needs regarding forest carbon inventorying, modeling, communications, and linkages with state policymaking in USFS Region 9. This report lays out the methodological process and key findings from that analysis.
