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Science-based credibility and carbon decision support, using FIA data. Linda S. Heath Forest Carbon Accounting and Research NRS-FIA Durham, NH. Science-based credibility --peer-reviewed publications --”expert” review Decision support -- credibility to users?. A factoid quiz.
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Science-based credibility and carbon decision support,using FIA data Linda S. Heath Forest Carbon Accounting and Research NRS-FIA Durham, NH
Science-based credibility --peer-reviewed publications --”expert” review Decision support -- credibility to users?
A factoid quiz On average, over the years 2001-2006, forests offset what percent of emissions in the United States? • 18% • 14% • 11%
On average, over the years 2001-2006, net sequestration in forests ecosystems, harvested wood products, and urban forests offset: • 18% of emissions from fossil fuel combustion and IF count contribution of wood burned for energy • 14% of emissions from fossil fuel combustion, or emissions of all greenhouse gases IF count wood burned for energy • 11% of emissions of all greenhouse gases (in terms of CO2 eq.)
CO2 emissions from forest fires Source: US EPA (2008) – Heath and Smith (in prep)
Study: Ken Brewer and others (FS Remote Sensing Applications Center) planned finish date 2011
Why would the FS be interested in C accounting at the national-level? • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks Inventories • Like 140 other nations, the US ratified the UNFCCC and promised, by law, to report their GHG emissions and sinks annually. • US Environmental Protection Agency is the lead agency for this, but we (the FS) provide the official forest ecosystem and harvested wood statistics and have done this “forever”
UNFCCC Reporting – still evolving • Beginning 1990, every year, managed forests • Consistency • Moving toward full land representation (forest, cropland, grassland, wetland, settlement, other) • Uncertainties required
UNFCCC Reporting – still evolving • Be able to report subcategories (nonforest becoming forest, forest remaining forest) • Transparency, verification, accuracy, precision, cost UNFCCC reviews of inventory
CarbonTracker Result Weekly gridded product at 1x1 degree with error estimate, freely available on web with code, data, docs Source: Scott Denning
The Vulcan inventory represents the US fossil fuel CO2 emissions for the year 2002 at a spatial scale that is less than 10 km and hourly. • Detailed documentation at http://www.purdue.edu/eas/carbon/vulcan.
Tools with output at various scales • Forest Stand • Landscape • County • State • Region or ecoregion • National FVS-C GTR-343 COLE CCT FORCARB2 To access tools go to http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/carbon/tools
Source: Smith and others. NRS-13