Shasta County Carbon Sequestration Pilot Projects

1. Shasta County Carbon Sequestration Pilot Projects Leslie Bryan Climate Stewardship Coordinator Western Shasta Resource Conservation District leslie@westernshastarcd.org (530) 365-7332 ext. 215

2. California – A Leader for Finding a Solution CA Assembly Bill 32 Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 codifies the states goal of reducing global warming emissions to 1990 levels by 2020

3. CA Air Resources Board • Develop Plan for Implementation of AB 32 • Develop and adopt GHG protocols to support emission reduction in • Agriculture • Energy • Forests • Refrigeration, Air Conditioning Etc. • Land Use and Local Actions • Industry/Manufacturing • Oil & Gas/Refining • Transportation • Waste/Recycling • Water • Website: http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/cc.htm

5. West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (WESTCARB) • One of seven US Department of Energy regional partnerships • Managed by California Energy Commission • Includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada and Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia • Team of over 80 organizations includes public and private landowners, forestry and energy companies, universities, research organizations, conversation groups and a utility • Goal of researching Geologic and Terrestrial Sequestration opportunities (capture and storage of carbon dioxide) 

6. Terrestrial Sequestration Potential in Shasta County • Shasta County identified as having a great potential for cost effective terrestrial sequestration projects which may be useful in reducing emissions of greenhouse gases over time • Non-profit organization Winrock International – Lead for Terrestrial Sequestration • Western Shasta Resource Conservation District (WSRCD), is working with Winrock International and W.M. Beaty and Associates to implement pilot projects in the county through May 2010

7. Pilot Project Overall Objectives • Demonstrate ways to sequester carbon dioxide and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases linked to global warming • Validate the carbon sequestration opportunities identified • Develop methodology, reporting, and market recognition for pilot project activities • Research to inform policymakers, communities, and businesses on how to invest in CCS technology development and deployment to achieve climate change mitigation objectives

8. Reforestation • Projects can benefit agriculture, ranching and timber management and provide safety to local communities • Restore native woodlands in hazardous fuel areas • Plant native trees on rangelands other open areas • Benefits • Hazardous fuel reduction to reduce wildfires and their emissions • Biomass energy • Nutrient cycling • Water quality and wildlife habitat benefits

9. Variety of Landowners

10. Fumes from the copper smelting activities in the early 1900’s killed off thousands of acres of ponderosa pine forest along the Sac. river Smelter

11. Keswick Area

12. Backbone/Brushfield @ 1,600’: typical of the low elevation west slope Sierra/Cascades w/ disruption of “natural” fire regime = poor conifer regeneration + extreme fire hazard

14. 1992 Fountain Fire: 65,000 acres • Timber companies replanted within 5 years after fire: now 10 to 20 ft. tall conifers & some re-sprouted oaks • Most “small” non-industrial landowners did not replant: now brush and re-sprouted oaks

15. 1992 Fountain Fire @ 3,000’ elev.

16. 1992 Fountain Fire @ 3,900’ elev Greenleaf manzanita Conifers Planted mid 1990’s

17. Timely afforestation soon after wildfire would = • Much less cost • Much less soil and site disturbance August 1982 Chalk Fire & July 2007 Power Fire NE Shasta County

18. Lakey Project Test Planting September 20, 2008

19. BLM Oak Woodland – 9 Acres

20. PG&E Climate Smart Program • Voluntary program for customers to reduce or absorb the greenhouse gas emissions associated with a home's actual energy use • Tax deductible • ~ $5/month for typical northern CA home • 100% of contributions support projects that capture and absorb GHG emissions • http://www.pge.com/climatesmart/

21. Costs for Carbon Management Projects • Establishment Costs • Site preparation • Buying and Planting Seedlings/Seeds • Easements • Validation • Maintenance Costs • Measurement Costs according to Registry Standards • Challenging for small landowners • Carbon alone rarely covers all costs but may supplement existing income sources such as farming, grazing, wood products

22. Forest Protocol – For Project Registry • Developed by Climate Action Reserve • Three project types (reforestation, conservation management, avoided deforestation) • Working Group and Process Included Broad Stakeholder Participation • Protocol Information -http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/forestry/forestry_protocols/forestry_protocols.htm • Climate Action Reserve - http://www.theclimateregistry.org/

23. Additional Resources • The Climate Registry - http://www.theclimateregistry.org • The American Carbon Registry - http://www.americancarbonregistry.org/ • Voluntary Carbon Standard - http://www.v-c-s.org/ • Chicago Climate Exchange - http://www.chicagoclimatex.com/ • WSRCD Climate Stewardship Website - http://www.westernshastarcd.org/climate_stewardship.html

24. Resources for More Information

25. Local – Global Connection

26. Future Working together proactively, our region can look forward to increasing our ability to lessen our areas “carbon footprint” though conservation, land and fuel management, and reforestation projects among others.