Economic Analyses of Sequestering Carbon in Loblolly Pine, Cherrybark Oak, and Northern Red Oak in the United States

Abstract

Global concern over increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the atmosphere leading to possible future climate changes have generated interest in offsetting CO2 emissions by storing carbon in forests. Carbon-sequestering forest activities may be one of the least expensive approaches to mitigate the build up of atmospheric CO2. However, the fact that forest management practices are species-, site-and management-objective-specific increases the complexity of using the forestry sector to mitigate global warming. In order to provide useful and timely information concerning carbon sequestration, this study investigated three forestry-based opportunities for sequestering carbon in the United States: conversion of marginal agricultural land to forests and reforestation of poorly stocked pine plantations in the South, afforestation of the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV), and reclamation and afforestation of abandoned mined lands (AML). This study conducted economic analyses on three region–species combinations: loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in the southern states, cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda Raf.) in the LMAV, and northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) on AML in West Virginia. The objectives of this study were to determine the profitability of managing these three commercial tree species for timber production only and for the combination of timber production and carbon sequestration and then calculate net tonnes of carbon stored during one rotation and net revenues generated from each tonne of carbon sequestered.