Characterizing timber harvest occurrence and intensity to inform forest carbon management across the eastern United States
Timber harvesting plays an important role in determining how forest management practices influence carbon storage and sequestration patterns. We analyzed recent harvesting patterns across the eastern United States to quantify harvest area, intensity, and type of silviculture across timberlands. We o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Forests and Global Change |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2025.1594324/full |
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| author | Matthew B. Russell Catherine J. Chamberlain Lynn Riley Natalia A. Mushegian John S. Gunn Ethan P. Belair Sebastian U. Busby |
| author_facet | Matthew B. Russell Catherine J. Chamberlain Lynn Riley Natalia A. Mushegian John S. Gunn Ethan P. Belair Sebastian U. Busby |
| author_sort | Matthew B. Russell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Timber harvesting plays an important role in determining how forest management practices influence carbon storage and sequestration patterns. We analyzed recent harvesting patterns across the eastern United States to quantify harvest area, intensity, and type of silviculture across timberlands. We observed timberland area harvested to vary considerably depending on how harvest occurrence was defined, ranging from 7.8 to 23.4 million hectares harvested between approximately 2016 and 2022. Harvest intensity, as measured by basal area removed in a stand if a harvest occurred, was similar across all ownerships, states, and regions (mean percent of basal area removed was 44.2 ± 29.3% [mean ± standard deviation]), but forest type-level differences were apparent, e.g., harvest intensity was greatest in aspen/birch forests in the Lake States (mean percent of basal area removed of 59.1 ± 31.2%). Policymakers, forest managers, and carbon project developers require an accurate assessment of baseline harvest rates to estimate potential tonnes of additional carbon dioxide equivalents generated in a forest carbon offset project. Using localized timber harvesting patterns derived from historical data will assist in prioritizing the silvicultural prescriptions with the greatest positive climate impacts while additionally informing policies and investments that value the natural capital that forests provide. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-50e55aa6c67f4f0b848bfa4d14f8def1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2624-893X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Forests and Global Change |
| spelling | doaj-art-50e55aa6c67f4f0b848bfa4d14f8def12025-08-20T03:29:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Forests and Global Change2624-893X2025-06-01810.3389/ffgc.2025.15943241594324Characterizing timber harvest occurrence and intensity to inform forest carbon management across the eastern United StatesMatthew B. Russell0Catherine J. Chamberlain1Lynn Riley2Natalia A. Mushegian3John S. Gunn4Ethan P. Belair5Sebastian U. Busby6Arbor Analytics, St. Albans, ME, United StatesThe Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA, United StatesAmerican Forest Foundation, Washington, DC, United StatesDepartment of Geography and Environment, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United StatesThe Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA, United StatesThe Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA, United StatesThe Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA, United StatesTimber harvesting plays an important role in determining how forest management practices influence carbon storage and sequestration patterns. We analyzed recent harvesting patterns across the eastern United States to quantify harvest area, intensity, and type of silviculture across timberlands. We observed timberland area harvested to vary considerably depending on how harvest occurrence was defined, ranging from 7.8 to 23.4 million hectares harvested between approximately 2016 and 2022. Harvest intensity, as measured by basal area removed in a stand if a harvest occurred, was similar across all ownerships, states, and regions (mean percent of basal area removed was 44.2 ± 29.3% [mean ± standard deviation]), but forest type-level differences were apparent, e.g., harvest intensity was greatest in aspen/birch forests in the Lake States (mean percent of basal area removed of 59.1 ± 31.2%). Policymakers, forest managers, and carbon project developers require an accurate assessment of baseline harvest rates to estimate potential tonnes of additional carbon dioxide equivalents generated in a forest carbon offset project. Using localized timber harvesting patterns derived from historical data will assist in prioritizing the silvicultural prescriptions with the greatest positive climate impacts while additionally informing policies and investments that value the natural capital that forests provide.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2025.1594324/fulltimber removalsforest inventory and analysisforest ownershipcarbon baselinescarbon accounting |
| spellingShingle | Matthew B. Russell Catherine J. Chamberlain Lynn Riley Natalia A. Mushegian John S. Gunn Ethan P. Belair Sebastian U. Busby Characterizing timber harvest occurrence and intensity to inform forest carbon management across the eastern United States Frontiers in Forests and Global Change timber removals forest inventory and analysis forest ownership carbon baselines carbon accounting |
| title | Characterizing timber harvest occurrence and intensity to inform forest carbon management across the eastern United States |
| title_full | Characterizing timber harvest occurrence and intensity to inform forest carbon management across the eastern United States |
| title_fullStr | Characterizing timber harvest occurrence and intensity to inform forest carbon management across the eastern United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterizing timber harvest occurrence and intensity to inform forest carbon management across the eastern United States |
| title_short | Characterizing timber harvest occurrence and intensity to inform forest carbon management across the eastern United States |
| title_sort | characterizing timber harvest occurrence and intensity to inform forest carbon management across the eastern united states |
| topic | timber removals forest inventory and analysis forest ownership carbon baselines carbon accounting |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2025.1594324/full |
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