Combatting Climate Change

Making a real difference with forests

State needs to encourage forest owners to participate

Steve Mader (CH2M Hill)

Thursday, October 18, 2007

California is reviewing its initial greenhouse gas-measuring protocols, which were established by the California Climate Action Registry and were intended to encourage businesses to take steps toward the state's overall reduction of greenhouse gases.

The initial protocols, unfortunately, are not providing the incentives for landowners who manage forestland sustainably - which includes harvesting trees to provide essential wood products and replanting to regenerate forests while conserving water quality and a wide range of forest resources - to participate in the state's voluntary registry. Instead, the protocols reward owners of unmanaged forestland and encourage owners to forgo beneficial forest management now and in the future. Consequently, private forestland owners are not lining up to participate in the state's voluntary registry.

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