I am a natural resource data scientist at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. I am a member of the ORNL Climate Change Science Institute (CCSI) with over 10 years R&D experience in the Environmental Sciences Division (ESD). Specifically, with research experience at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) climate research facility’s data center (ADC), and in natural resource management and economic assessments related to biomass production (e.g., forestry, bioenergy) for the "Billion Ton" (e.g., USDOE 2016, and forthcoming BT23). I have also provided visioning of strategic computational resources as biomass assessments transition to high-performance computing and open-science.
Forested anthromes: providing an opportunity for net-zero goals through sustainable management
M. DAVIS , K.L. KLINE
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge TN 37831-6036
Managed forests are an important contributor to nature-based climate solutions. North America’s forestry sector demonstrates how market incentives and sustainable management provide increasing services to society (products, carbon storage, environmental protection). Lessons learned can help other countries as they work to regenerate forest landscapes to achieve emission reduction targets and ecosystem service goals. A systems-thinking approach to complex relationships of functions and values is needed to advance progress towards net-zero goals that depend on this land base. Planning, monitoring and adaptive management based on an understanding of these relationships and key limiting factors, will help mitigate emissions from improper management and maximize the benefits of the CO 2 -fertilization. Strategies that land management organizations (public and private) can employ to achieve these goals will be discussed. This presentation will address the role of small-holders in the US as a contributor to net-zero goals and as an example for other small-holder forested landscapes (e.g., the Brazilian South). Further, we discuss the emergence of carbon markets in the US South as a discussion point for strategizing ways to minimize negative outcomes of the race to net-zero.