Save Forests for Carbon Storage

A recent Seattle Times front-page article by environment reporter Lynda V. Mapes  points out that:

“Nothing we currently know of works better than allowing trees to suck carbon from the atmosphere when they are living, and store it in their branches, roots and the forest soil for centuries after their death. Trees — especially mature forests — are the cheapest, fastest, most reliable form of carbon storage.

So-called proforestation is the leading edge of new science that finds intentionally leaving forests to grow bigger helps blunt the worst effects of the climate catastrophe. Of course, fossil fuel emissions must also be drastically reduced.”

Former Washington State Commissioners of Public Lands Peter Goldmark and Jennifer Belcher are calling for

“…the creation of a new class of state forest trust lands: the Washington State Ecological Reserve, implemented by retiring 5 percent per year of westside forest lands from commercial harvest over 20 years.

They would keep whole the trusts that now depend on timber revenue, with payments from the purchase of carbon credits by businesses and others that want to invest in state forests as a defense in the fight against climate warming.

They acknowledge it’s a big change — but say that is what is needed in a time of climate crisis. “Now is the opportunity time,” Belcher said. Goldmark agreed…”

It is an excellent article that confirms how timely and important Our Forest Fund’s mission is.