Greenhouse gas emissions versus forest sequestration in temperate rain forests -- a synthesis for southeast Alaska communities / David Nicholls and Trista Patterson.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

Nicholls, David L., author.

Patterson, Trista, author.

Contributor:

Pacific Northwest Research Station (Portland, Or.), issuing body.

Series:

General technical report PNW ; 918.

General technical report PNW ; 918

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Carbon dioxide mitigation--Environmental aspects--Alaska.

Carbon dioxide mitigation.

Carbon sequestration--Environmental aspects--Alaska.

Carbon sequestration.

Temperate rain forests--Environmental aspects--Alaska.

Temperate rain forests.

Forest productivity--Environmental aspects--Alaska.

Forest productivity.

Forests and forestry--Environmental aspects--Alaska.

Forests and forestry.

Forests and forestry--Environmental aspects.

Alaska.

Genre:

technical reports.

Technical reports

Technical reports.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (24 pages)

Place of Publication:

Portland, OR : United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, December 2015.

Summary:

Sitka, Alaska, has substantial hydroelectric resources, limited driving distances, and a conservation-minded community, all suggesting strong opportunities for achieving a low community carbon footprint. In this research we evaluate the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Sitka and compare this to the estimated CO2 sequestration potential of forest ecosystems. We determine whether a carbonneutral community is attained when these two factors are balanced. Our analysis consisted of two parts: estimating anthropogenic CO2 emissions from Sitka, and comparing this value to estimates of carbon sequestration from forests on Baranof Island in southeast Alaska. We found total estimated anthropogenic emissions from Sitka to be in the range of 100,000 to 150,000 Mg carbon per year. Carbon sequestration by forests on Baranof Island was conservatively estimated to be more than 250,000 Mg carbon per year. This estimate was extrapolated from studies evaluating net ecosystem productivity of forests similar to those in southeast Alaska. Further reductions in anthropogenic emissions are still possible in Sitka. The expansion of the Blue Lake hydroelectric generating facility (adding up to 34,000 megawatt-hours per year of energy) could further reduce Sitka's carbon footprint.

Notes:

Title from title screen (viewed February 2, 2016).

"December 2015."

Includes bibliographical references (pages 17-24).

Other Format:

Print version: Nicholls, David L. Greenhouse gas emissions versus forest sequestration in temperate rain forests -- a synthesis for southeast Alaska communities

OCLC:

936382867