If you would like addition information about
Carbon Sequestration contact your local
Alabama Forestry
Commission office.
Why is
it important to store Carbon?
The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2)
in the air had been relatively constant for
ten thousand years until the Industrial
Revolution in the 1800s. Since then, the
world’s population has grown tremendously,
as has the use of coal, oil, and natural
gas.
Because CO2
is a primary product of combustion, the
atmospheric concentration of CO2
has been on the rise. At the same time,
average temperatures throughout much of the
world have inched up and other climatic
changes have been documented, indicating a
connection between our use of fossil fuels
and climatic effects.
Although total implications are not known,
the majority of the scientific community
feels strongly that continued unchecked
growth of CO2
releases into the atmosphere will have very
negative effects on our environment. To
effectively reduce CO2
emissions, we must find alternative clean
sources of energy as well as encourage the
development of “carbon sinks” where
atmospheric carbon is removed from the air
and stored such that it will not negatively
affect our environment.
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What
is Carbon Sequestration?
The removal of carbon from the atmosphere is
the process of carbon sequestration. This
can be accomplished by storing atmospheric
carbon into the ground, water, or into
vegetation.
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How do
trees play a role in Carbon Sequestration?
Trees take in CO2
from the air in the process called
photosynthesis. The tree effectively breaks
down the CO2,
stores the carbon in all parts of the tree,
and releases the oxygen back into the
atmosphere. Fast growing trees are, in fact,
the most efficient way to sequester
atmospheric carbon.
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What
are Carbon Credits and how are they
determined?
A “carbon credit” is a market term. Carbon
storage in trees is usually measured in
metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent
(MTCO2e).
Trees are roughly 50% carbon, based on dry
weight. One ton of carbon equals 3.67 tons
of carbon dioxide equivalent. Therefore, the
amount of carbon credits on your property
can be computed based on a forest inventory
cruise of your property to determine the
timber volume by weight. Some factors that
will affect the amount of carbon sequestered
in your forest will be the age of the trees,
stocking levels, species, and site index of
the soil.
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What
things should I consider before signing up?
How do I decide if I should participate?
The carbon market has been established in
the U.S. but it is in its infancy. There are
still many unknowns. Forest landowners
should be able to benefit from the increased
interest in carbon trading either through
direct sequestration or revenue sharing with
power generation facilities. The decision to
participate in the carbon market will be
heavily influenced by factors such as the
commitment period required, associated fees,
market access, inventory methods, and
silvicultural treatments.
Only after careful consideration and
consultation with professionals experienced
in this subject matter, should a decision to
participate be made. You should also fully
consider how your short- and long-term
management objectives will be impacted from
participating.
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What
is the value of a Carbon Credit?
Because this market is voluntary, the value
of a carbon credit remains relatively low.
If Congress passes cap and trade legislation
requiring reduced emissions, the value of a
carbon credit is expected to increase
significantly.
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Are
there restrictions on my property? Will it
affect my management scheme?
The landowner agrees to store carbon in his
trees for the period of the contract. That
in turn restricts his ability to harvest
timber or clear timber land for any other
purpose. He may still be able to prescribe burn and
conduct other forest management activities
during the contract period. After the
contract period, he may be able to harvest his
trees when he chooses. Planning for future
needs such as food plots and roads becomes
very important.
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Is the
contract “legally binding”?
Yes. The contract is legally binding and
follows the landowner that signed the
contract.
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How do
I start the process of enrollment?
Most landowners wanting to enroll will need
to work with an aggregator. The landowner
and aggregator will enter into a
contract that specifies all eligibility
requirements and terms and conditions for
participation. It is advisable to utilize
the services of a registered forester and
attorney or tax adviser when entering into
any legally binding contracts.
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Can I
sell land that I have enrolled in a carbon
storage
program?
Most contracts include an "opt out" policy,
but the landowner usually must pay back
previous earnings and/or penalties. Please
review your contract for details.
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Will
my enrolled land be subject to an audit?
Yes.
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Additional Resources:
-
Carbon Sequestration
-
How much carbon have your trees stored?
-
Carbon
Sequestration Publications
-
Carbon
Sequestration Websites
The Alabama
Forestry Commission is currently
updating information on the Carbon
Sequestration Webpage as new
developments occur. Please periodically
check this website for new updates.
For more information contact:
Alabama Forestry Commission