In 2022, Friends of the Clearwater organized a first-of-its-kind analysis of the carbon impacts of the draft Nez Perce-Clearwater Revised Land and Resource Management Plan (AKA the "Forest Plan").

John Talberth, an economist with the Center for Sustainable Economy, completed the following report, which analyzes how current carbon stocks in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests (NPCNF) would change under different management directives.

The findings show that under the NPCNF forest plan, carbon emissions would increase. Under the newly revised version of the forest plan, the emitted carbon from logging, burning, and roadbuilding would be like putting hundreds of thousands of cars on the road. The report emphasizes the importance of accurate carbon accounting in forest management and the consequences of increased logging poses to our atmosphere and climate.

The report reveals the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from implementing the revised forest plan, something the US Forest Service has so far refused to do. Such inaction is morally reprehensible during such a critical moment for our shared climate.

Funding for the report was generously provided by the Charlotte Martin Foundation.

CARBON LIFECYCLE ANALYSIS

Talberth's findings rely on knowing how carbon, a chemical building block of trees, actually transforms over the life of trees and forests, both logged and unlogged.

In a wild (unlogged) forest ecosystem, carbon stocks are high and relatively stable. As trees die and decay, they release carbon dioxide, and as saplings grow, they absorb it. Large disturbances like wildfire will reduce carbon stocks, but even large fires release 3-5% of forest carbon, mostly by burning needles, leaves, and the top layer of the forest floor.

Logging dramatically alters the carbon cycle in forests. Each stage of the logging process reduces forest carbon stocks by emitting carbon dioxide. Short-lived forest products (like paper) are quickly used, discarded, and decompose, emitting most of their carbon. Even long-lived forest products like dimensional lumber only store a fraction of the carbon of the original tree. Over the course of logging—felling, limbing, slash burning, and milling—roughly 85% of the carbon of a tree is lost, on average.

CLIMATE IMPACTS OF THE FOREST PLAN

The impacts of climate change, exacerbated by accelerated timber production, put Idaho's public lands at serious risk. According to the report, increased carbon pollution, and the global heat and climate dysfunction it brings, are already disrupting natural processes, making the land:

"more susceptible to heat waves, droughts, water shortages, wildfires, wind damage, landslides, floods, warming waters, harmful algae blooms, insects, disease, exotic species, and biodiversity loss."

At such a critical moment, utilizing the natural capacity of protected forests as carbon sinks should be the priority of our public land managers, not exacerbating climate dysfunction.

You can read the entire report below, or download the PDF at the bottom of the page.