PRESS RELEASE

Oct. 24, 2000

Report Shows Conservation and Management of Forests
Key to Reducing Global Warming

Santa Rosa, CA- Forests have an important role to play in any strategy to reduce global warming, according to a new report released today by the Pacific Forest Trust and co-authored by leading scientists. The report, "Forest Carbon in the United States: Opportunities and Options for Private Lands," outlines the conditions necessary for increased carbon dioxide reductions from forests. This report is significant as U.S. negotiators prepare to discuss the issue of forest carbon at the sixth Conference of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol on global warming next month.

Reducing levels of carbon dioxide, and therefore the risks of global warming, can be done both by cutting emissions from forests, as well as by removing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through forest growth (sequestration). Forests are the second-largest source of carbon dioxide emissions globally. The amount of carbon that forests accumulate or release has a major impact on whether or not the US can meet its international commitments. While the report identifies that forests are currently at risk and losing carbon - especially private forests - this trend is reversible.

"Through increased conservation and changes in current forest management, the U.S. could decrease carbon dioxide levels by hundreds of millions of tons during the next several decades." said Laurie Wayburn, President of the Pacific Forest Trust (PFT) and lead author of the report. PFT works with landowners, foresters, public agencies and communities to develop and implement effective forest stewardship and conservation initiatives

According to Dr. Jerry Franklin, co-author and Professor of Ecosystem Science at the University of Washington, "Managing forests for increased carbon stores not only helps reduce global warming, but can provide numerous co-benefits including increased forest biodiversity, increased resilience against fire, disease, and pests, and improved water quality."

Widely accepted science shows that carbon stores in private US forests can be increased by utilizing a range of options from conserving current forestlands to managing for increased average forest age, to reforesting former forest areas. Increasing the age of forests is especially important as older forests accumulate and store more carbon than younger ones. The report presents a study of the ecological implications, economic implications, and three studies of the regional implications of forest carbon management.

Jerry Franklin, co-author and Professor of Ecosystem Science at the University of Washington writes: "The potential for increased carbon storage in the Pacific Northwest forests is immense. These forests have a huge capacity for carbon storage, which they have not begun to reach."

John Gordon, co-author and Pinchot Professor at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies writes: "The forests of the Northeast have significant potential to increase future carbon stores, however, forest owners will only practice this sort of management to the degree that it is available and attractive financially and otherwise."

The sale of forest-based carbon credits by forest landowners should provide sufficient additional financial return to pay for costs of foregoing development, growing older forests, and replanting bare land.

"At the right price, carbon is clearly an effective incentive for landowners to change the way that they manage their forests, " said Clark Binkley, co-author, noted forest economist, and Chief Investment Officer for Hancock Timber Resource Group.

The authors of the report point out, however, that to create a domestic carbon marketplace, the United States needs to establish essential infrastructure, such as formally identifying carbon rights, setting standard rules for accounting, and establishing a registry. In many cases, domestic forest-based carbon projects are extremely cost-effective, costing substantially less than projects overseas. Of course, these same rules should also apply to an international carbon market.

"As the United States enters into international negotiations over global warming next month, it should ensure that forests are part of the framework of options available to countries to ensure real and lasting carbon dioxide reductions," said Ms. Wayburn.