Forest protection can help us meet critical climate targets and reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
To do so, we must be able to accurately locate high-carbon forests and understand the risk of forest loss. By updating and improving data, we can protect and manage forested lands to optimize their ability to capture and sequester carbon, while protecting biodiversity—today, tomorrow, and into the future.
Until now, available data and software has allowed assessments of the amount of forest carbon stored in a region, but did not provide estimates of the carbon benefit of forest protection, was limited by out-of-date estimates of forest cover, or was lacking future forest carbon estimates.
Over the last year, OSI has formed a partnership to update forest carbon data and develop projections of permanent forest cover loss, and estimates of avoided emissions from land protection. Now, OSI is empowering groups on the ground to identify at-risk high-carbon forests for the continental U.S.
On February 27, 2024 OSI invited partners and data developers to update the field. The Forest Carbon Briefing recording and presentation are now available for viewing, and we invite you to share these materials with colleagues and partners.
Mapping Resources to Evaluate Forest Carbon Storage and Sequestration
The tools below are available now to help conservation organizations, government agencies, and landowners measure the avoided emissions possible through forest protection at the parcel level; identify high-carbon forests to target for protection; and leverage land protection agreements to integrate climate-smart forest management.
Additionally, these tools incorporate other benefits delivered by forest conservation, such as safeguarding biodiversity and water quality, as well as helping practitioners evaluate how to help wildlife adapt to a changing climate.
- Trust for Public Land - Conservation Carbon Map
- The Nature Conservancy - Resilient Land Mapping Tool (with forest carbon data)
- Open Space Institute – Six Simple Steps to Evaluate Forest Carbon
- 2000 and 2010 Forest Carbon Data Download (note: forest carbon projections are not currently available for download)
Next Steps
The forest carbon data update for 2021, and 2050 and 2070 projections will be made available by mid-2024. The Open Space Institute and partners look forward to holding another webinar in early fall 2024 for a formal rollout of the new data and avoided conversion tool. At that time, we will also share details of a broader technical assistance program to ensure you can put data and tools into practice.
Click here to receive updates on OSI's work on forests as a climate solution.
Additional resources:
During the February 27 field briefing, the audience and panelists engaged in a lively discussion. The written questions and answers can be viewed here. The below resources were also shared in response to questions.
- Natural climate solutions for Canada
- The Carbon Balance of the Southeastern U.S. Forest Sector as Driven by Recent Disturbance Trends
- High-resolution land value maps reveal underestimation of conservation costs in the United States. The data download is available here. Note that an updated version of this will be released later this year.
Learn more:
- Measuring the carbon for the trees and Climate Smart Forest Conservation video (shared prior to the briefing)
- Targeting Conservation Spotlight
Many thanks to our OSI project partners: Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy, Land Trust Alliance, American Forests, Dr. Christopher Williams of Clark University, and the USDA Forest Service Forest Legacy Program. Financial Support is provided by USDA Forest Service Legacy Program, Jane’s Trust Foundation, RBC Tech for Nature, and individual contributors.