Upper Feather River Watershed

Carbon implications of fuels reduction and ecological restoration treatments in Sierra Nevada forests

A century of fire suppression has dramatically altered the structure and species composition of many western U.S. forests, particularly by increasing the density of small trees, the abundance of shade-tolerant and fire-intolerant species, and the accumulation of litter and woody debris. When dense, fire-suppressed forests experience wildfire, they often burn at very high severity. To reduce the risk of high-severity wildfire and restore fire-suppressed stands to a more natural state, managers may employ mechanical thinning, prescribed fire, and/or strategically-managed wildfire. Scientists and managers have begun to express interest in the potential for these forest restoration and fuels reduction treatments to result in an increase in terrestrial carbon storage by increasing growth rates and moderating wildfire behavior. Increasing carbon storage reduces atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, and any resulting benefit for climate change mitigation may help justify public and private investments to increase the pace and scale of forest treatments.

2016-08-17

Young, D. 20115. Unpublished data, The Nature Conservancy, Sacramento, CA

Global or not applicable

Carbon, Ecological Restoration, Forests, Fuels Reduction, Sierra Nevada, Wildfire

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