The University of Minnesota (UMN) has received a $319,820 grant from the Minnesota Forest Resources Council (MFRC) to assess carbon sequestration, storage, and emissions associated with Minnesota forests and forest products. MFRC awarded the grant in support of Governor Tim Walz’s 2022 climate action framework, a strategic statewide plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change.
Minnesota’s forests and forest products are uniquely important for offsetting statewide greenhouse gas emissions because of their ability to sequester and store carbon. The UMN project will gather data from all forest carbon locations or “pools”—in live trees, in dead trees, in forest soils, in harvested wood, and in forest products like lumber. These data will enable UMN scientists to develop methodologies to better monitor forest carbon trends, and to develop “life cycle assessments” that track carbon sequestration and storage over 100- or 150-year periods starting first in the forest, then into wood products, and eventually to its future point of emission as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
According to MFRC Chair Pete Aube, establishing a better baseline to monitor forest carbon trends over time; and comparing carbon sequestration, storage, and emission outcomes of different forest management strategies and forest products are essential to achieving Minnesota’s net-zero goal by 2050.
“This UMN project will give us insights as to how the forestry sector might do even better in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions by adapting its forest management strategies or by promoting certain climate friendly forest products,” Aube said. “We look forward to seeing the final report which is due by June 30, 2024.”
For more information contact Eric Schenck, MFRC Executive Director, 651-247-1367 eric.schenck@mn.state.us or visit the MFRC website at https://mn.gov/frc/
The 17 stakeholder representatives of the Minnesota Forest Resources Council are appointed by the Governor of Minnesota according to provisions of the Sustainable Forest Resources Act. MFRC is responsible for recommending science-based policies, plans, and practices that sustainably protect and maintain Minnesota’s forest resources in ways that balance economic, ecological, and social values.
