Download (PDF 412 KB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/69783.pdf
Abstract
Forestry is an important component of natural climate solutions. Some forest advocates argue that the best management option for climate benefits is to maximize growth and stop cutting of all forests. Previous modeling comparisons of the carbon benefits of forest managements have not considered how chronic disturbances or reduced natural regeneration of forests may impact carbon dynamics. Exclusion of common forest disturbances may lead to incomplete conclusions about the impacts of forest managements. Here, we used FVS-NE to simulate the effect of forest management on forest carbon sequestration and storage in comparison with no management, in the absence and presence of chronic natural disturbances. We gathered forest inventory data for the oak-mixed hardwood forests of southern New England and simulated three management scenarios: no-management, selective logging, and shelterwood. We simulated regeneration in different management regimes using seedling lists informed by existing data. We adjusted tree mortality of specific species groups and size classes to mimic the effect of natural disturbances including drought, windstorm, pests, and diseases. We found that under natural disturbances, shelterwood promotes regeneration of more diverse tree species that leads to faster growth and higher stocking level under impacts of the disturbances. No management and selective logging leads to decrease of total basal area and loss of valuable tree species such as red oak (fig. 1). Forest cutting leads to short term carbon losses, but higher carbon storage in the long term especially when accounting for harvested carbon in wood products (fig. 2).
Parent Publication
Keywords
forest management,
forest planning,
growth and yield,
vegetation dynamics,
habitat modeling,
carbon inventory,
landscape dynamics,
fire,
fuels,
climate change,
economics,
tree-rings
Citation
Liu, Weier; Ashton, Mark; Kuebbing, Sara. 2024. Simulating potential carbon sequestration of improved forest management in northeastern U.S. forests. In: Shaw, John D; Battaglia, Mike A.; Castle, Mark, [comps.]. Sixth Forest Vegetation Simulator Conference; 2023 March 7-9; Fort Collins, CO. Proceedings RMRS-P-81. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 50-53.
