Forest management in the Northwest, particularly on federal lands, has been the center of considerable debate and acrimony for the last two decades. Fortunately, there are signs that tensions are easing as the diverse groups and individuals on all sides of the debate realize that they have a lot of common ground and all can benefit by working together.

Conservation groups, forest industry, scientists, government agencies and others are now engaged in positive dialogue concerning the essential contributions of forests and forest management towards a healthy world environment.

Indeed, if carbon dioxide is in fact a significant factor in global warming, forests are the only form of sequestering and offsetting carbon that also provides many other benefits such as clean water, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, wood products and aesthetics which are essential for our society.

Globally, forests store more carbon above and below ground than exists in the atmosphere. Forests just in the USA annually sequester enough carbon to offset 10 to 20 percent of our emissions from fossil fuels. If we were to gear up and maximize the potential of biomass for energy production, it could represent 30 percent of the nation’s renewable energy supply and biomass at worst is carbon neutral, or creates no additional carbon loading.

Wood used in furniture and building construction stores carbon for long periods of time, up to hundreds of years. Construction wood framing comes from a renewable resource and requires 250 percent less energy to produce and install than aluminum, steel, concrete or plastic. So, wood products from sustainably managed forests are a superior choice, particularly when combined with effective recycling.

Unfortunately, forests are currently threatened by catastrophic, large-scale wildfires and conversion of forestland to other uses such as housing and agriculture.

The huge increase of wood debris in forests as a result of overstocking and insect-caused mortality, coupled with a long-term warm, dry climatic trend is resulting in a huge increase in the number of large fires. 180 million acres on just federal lands are now at an unnaturally high risk of catastrophic wildfire.

It’s interesting to note that in Colorado, it was found that one large fire (Hayman Fire) pumped out more CO2 than all the cars in the state emitted over one year. Recognizing the need to reduce forest fuels has led conservation groups such as The Nature Conservancy to partner with the forest products industry to advocate for large-scale forest health restoration work.

In the USA, almost 1 million acres of forestland per year are being lost to development. Since 57 percent of U.S. forests are privately owned, it will be critical to stabilize this forest base. One approach could be the development of carbon markets that provide income to landowners for sequestering carbon.

Unfortunately, most carbon markets do not currently recognize carbon from managed forests, but if implemented, carbon credits could provide significant investment and cash flow opportunity for woodland owners.

Probably the most important things we can do is continue to improve on our forest practices, make long-term forest ownership and management an ever more attractive investment, and take advantage of the warming spirit of cooperation for much needed forest restoration work.

Bob Parker is an OSU Extension forestry agent. He can be contacted at bob.parker@oregonstate.edu.