Thinning and prescribed fire can maintain forest carbon sinks

Our findings show that mechanical thinning of forests plus widespread prescribed fire can reduce projected severity & extent of wildfires. And achieving significantly more net carbon storage depends on including sequestration of forest biomass offsite as part of the forest carbon cycle. https://lnkd.in/gvseHbwb

Consider that as climate warms, both carbon uptake by photosynthesis & carbon release to the atmosphere by heterotrophic respiration can increase. Adding in widespread prescribed fire to reduce wildfire risk can further increase the rate at which forest carbon is released to the atmosphere, further reducing carbon storage in the forest. Sequestering carbon offsite can enable forest managers to meet dual objectives: reduce wildfire risk to communities & other built assets through prescribed fire & mechanical fuels treatments, while also making the larger forest-wood products system a carbon sink. This challenge calls for balance & systems thinking.

Carbon Sequestration: Advancing Quantification for Climate Action Forests serve as critical carbon sinks, capturing and storing atmospheric CO₂ across biomass, soil, and organic matter pools. Accurate quantification of these carbon stocks is fundamental to understanding ecosystem carbon dynamics and informing climate mitigation, land-use planning, and policy development. This infographic summarizes the methodological framework for estimating carbon stock at the plot scale — encompassing above- and below-ground biomass, dead organic matter, and soil organic carbon — offering a concise reference for research and field applications. Courtesy: Infographic copied from a Linkedln post of anonymous source, however the content has been cross checked. #CarbonSequestration #ForestryResearch #EcosystemScience #ClimateMitigation #CarbonStock #NatureBasedSolutions #EnvironmentalScience

Excited to share our recent paper on the effectiveness of fuel treatments in reducing carbon emissions and promoting long-term carbon storage. Our research indicates that while a combination of thinning and prescribed fire can reduce high-severity wildfires, making forests a net carbon sink requires the removal and sequestration of the thinned biomass. Leaving the thinned biomass on forest floor or burning is not a sustainable solution. We need to invest in biomass utilization and developing wood products that can hold the carbon longer. While we hope this paper contributes to the conversation on multi-benefit forest management (https://lnkd.in/gV2utjvE) and continued push for utilizing "all tools in the toolbox", more work is needed to refine our model. You can read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/gczysi-c #prescribedfire #thinning #wildfire #multibenefit

Carbon Sequestration: Harnessing Nature’s Potential for Climate Action Forests are among Earth’s most effective natural carbon sinks, capturing atmospheric CO₂ and storing it within biomass, soil, and organic matter. This process plays a vital role in climate change mitigation and ecosystem resilience. 🔹 Above-Ground Biomass (AGB) AGB (kg) = 0.0673 × (ρ × D² × H)^0.976 (where ρ = wood density, D = tree diameter, H = tree height) 🔹 Below-Ground Biomass (BGB) = 0.26 × AGB 🔹 Dead Organic Matter (DOM) – Derived from litterfall or estimated as a percentage of AGB 🔹 Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) = SOC% × Bulk Density × Depth × Area By combining AGB, BGB, DOM, and SOC, we can estimate the Total Carbon Stock — a crucial parameter in: ✅ Climate change mitigation strategies ✅ ESG and sustainability reporting ✅ Carbon credit project design and verification ✅ Biodiversity conservation and land use planning Let’s continue to advance nature-based solutions to accelerate our transition toward a sustainable, low-carbon future. #CarbonSequestration #ClimateAction #ESG #Sustainability #NatureBasedSolutions #CarbonCredits #EnvironmentalStewardship

🌲 Should our forest carbon be stored or burned? 🔥 UC Merced research suggests both is the best approach. A team of Sierra Nevada Research Institute (SNRI) researchers and collaborators found that mechanical thinning combined with prescribed fire can optimize both carbon storage and wildfire resilience. Their findings suggest that removing and sequestering thinned biomass helps forests act as carbon sinks, while prescribed burns reduce understory growth and risk of high-severity wildfires.   To learn more, view the article linked below featured in the University of California, Merced Newsroom: https://lnkd.in/exE7QWq3 weichao guo, Safeeq Khan, Guotao Cui, Philip Myint, Panmei Jiang, Han Guo, Stephen Hart, Roger Bales 

"Current forest inventory data analyses suggest that the carbon sink capacity of intact tropical forests may be in decline, portending a possible future switch from carbon sinks to carbon sources" "The transition was driven by increasingly extreme temperature and other climate anomalies, which have increased tree mortality and associated biomass losses, with no evidence of the carbon fertilization (stimulation) of woody tree growth. Fuente: https://lnkd.in/eB5kKCPH

🌍 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗯 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 Groundwater often contains methane, a potent greenhouse gas—but how much of it actually escapes to the atmosphere has long been uncertain. A new study published in PNAS by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry and the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena reveals that microbes play a crucial role in reducing these emissions. Using an advanced radiocarbon tracer technique, the team led by Beatrix M. Heinze, Valerie Schwab-Lavric, Kirsten Kuesel, and Susan Trumbore demonstrated that microbes consume more than half of the methane present in groundwater before it can be released to the surface. This microbial “filter” significantly limits methane fluxes from groundwater to inland waters and the atmosphere. To refine these innovative methods, Beatrix Heinze conducted a research stay at the University of California, Irvine, supported by the Scientific Exchange Funds of our #ClusterOfExcellence. “Our results reveal a highly active microbial methane filter in groundwater that plays a crucial role in limiting the release of methane to surface waters, soils, and the atmosphere,” says Heinze. These findings underscore the importance of microbial activity in global methane budgets and highlight the need for sustainable groundwater management in the face of #ClimateChange. ➡️ Further Information: https://lnkd.in/dHGR_a62 📖 Read the publication: Heinze, B. M. et al. Microbial oxidation significantly reduces methane export from global groundwaters, PNAS (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2508773122: https://lnkd.in/eJkBihxt #ClimateResearch #AquaDiva #MicrobialEcology

Carbon Sequestration: Unlocking Nature’s Role in Climate Action Forests are our planet’s most powerful natural carbon sinks, capturing CO₂ from the atmosphere and storing it within biomass, soil, and organic matter — playing a crucial role in climate mitigation. 🔹 Above-Ground Biomass (AGB) AGB (kg) = 0.0673 × (ρ × D² × H)^0.976 (ρ = Wood Density, D = Diameter, H = Height) 🔹 Below-Ground Biomass (BGB) = 0.26 × AGB 🔹 Dead Organic Matter (DOM) – Estimated from litterfall / % of AGB 🔹 Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) = SOC% × Bulk Density × Depth × Area By integrating AGB + BGB + DOM + SOC, we obtain the Total Carbon Stock — a key indicator in: Climate Mitigation Strategies ESG & Sustainability Reporting Carbon Credit Projects Biodiversity & Land Use Planning Let’s continue leveraging nature-based solutions to accelerate progress toward a low-carbon future. #CarbonSequestration #ClimateAction #ESG #Sustainability #NatureBasedSolutions #CarbonCredits #EnvironmentalStewardship

I Recently Came Across This Useful Piece of Information on Carbon Sequestration and Thought It Was Worth Sharing Carbon sequestration is the process by which atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) is absorbed and stored by ecosystems. Forests are a key part of this process, storing carbon in trees, soil, and decomposing organic matter. Estimating the carbon stored in a forest area is known as carbon stock estimation. The method outlined below is commonly used in ecological studies and follows standard forestry models. Key Components of Carbon Stock Estimation 1. Above-Ground Biomass (AGB) Refers to stems, branches, and foliage of trees. Formula: AGB (kg) = 0.0673 × (ρ × D² × H)^0.976 Where: ρ = wood density (g/cm³) D = diameter at breast height (cm) H = height of the tree (m) This is a widely used allometric equation, with variations depending on species and region. 2. Below-Ground Biomass (BGB) Includes the root systems of trees. Estimation: BGB = 0.26 × AGB This is a general approximation and may vary by forest type. 3. Dead Organic Matter (DOM) Composed of fallen leaves, branches, and other decomposing plant material. Often estimated from field surveys or as a percentage of AGB. 4. Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) Carbon stored in the soil beneath the plot. Formula: SOC = SOC% × Bulk Density × Depth × Area Where SOC% is the organic carbon content obtained through soil sampling. Total Carbon Stock Total = AGB + BGB + DOM + SOC This sum provides an estimate of the total carbon stored in a defined forest area. Uses of This Information Ecological monitoring and land use planning Conservation baseline studies Environmental assessments Academic or technical reporting Estimates are subject to variation due to site-specific conditions and species composition. Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only. The formulas and methods described are based on standard models used in ecological research. They should not be used for regulatory, legal, or financial purposes without validation from qualified professionals and reference to applicable guidelines such as those from IPCC or the Forest Survey of India.