NEW YORK, NY (Feb. 11, 2021)—The Open Space Institute (OSI) today unveiled a guide aimed at helping practitioners and policymakers take on the challenges of climate change through strategic, carbon-capturing forest protection. The new resource provides leadership on how to implement the Biden administration’s recently announced plan to conserve 30 percent of U.S. land and waters by the year 2030 to leverage natural climate solutions, protect biodiversity, and slow extinction rates through carbon-friendly protection and management of conservation lands.
The guide, Meeting the Challenge of Climate Change: How Land Trusts, Policymakers, and Public Agencies Can Achieve Carbon Goals through Strategic Forestland Protection (accessible here), provides criteria for the selection, completion, and successful management of land protection projects for the successful capture and storage of carbon. Developed in consultation with scientists and experts at American Forests, The Nature Conservancy, and the Land Trust Alliance, the knowledge distilled in the guide will be an invaluable resource in deciding where to invest limited land protection dollars.
“Strategic forest conservation is a critical tool and one of our most effective solutions when it comes to combatting climate change,” said Peter Howell, OSI executive vice president. “This report provides a path forward for the next generation of climate-conscious conservation, and a roadmap for how to help make President Biden's plans for protection of 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030 a reality. By following these guidelines, state and federal agencies along with their nonprofit and tribal partners can play a critical role in addressing the climate crisis."