Forest carbon stocks are closely tied to forest biomass, so factors that increase tree growth rates will subsequently increase rates of carbon storage within forests (1, 2). For example, nitrogen deposition from industrial and agricultural activities has increased soil nitrogen availability, allowing trees to more effectively increase carbon capture and contributing to the capacity of existing forests to sequester carbon (3). Additionally, higher atmospheric CO₂ levels, changes to patterns of temperature and rainfall, and changing forest management strategies all contribute to higher rates of carbon storage in existing forests (4-6). There is some uncertainty, however, surrounding the capability of forests to continue to assimilate additional CO₂ with additional changes in the climate (7). Forest management activities can be used to increase the amount of carbon that is sequestered in forests, as well as the amount of carbon stored in wood products (8). The amount of additional carbon that can be sequestered depends greatly upon the condition of the forest (e.g., forest type, age, health) and the forest management practice in question, making it important to take into account change to carbon stocks across the entire system to assess trade-offs between different pools (fig. 7). The forest management practices described below generally reduce carbon losses from forests or increase carbon gains in forests and wood products, although many practices have the potential to do both.

Many forest management actions may be used to increase the amount of carbon sequestered in forests and in wood products (1, 2). Similar to the management activities described above that reduce losses of carbon from forests, carbon gains can be made in forests by increasing the rate of accumulation of new biomass, as well as by increasing the total amount of biomass. The ability of different management practices to increase forest growth will vary greatly by region and by forest type, and the increase in carbon will generally be proportional to increases in growth rates (2). For example, plantations of southern pine can have increased yields through the combined use of improved seedlings, control of competing vegetation, and use of fertilizers (2). Fertilization and irrigation of southeastern tree species can increase biomass growth by more than 100 percent (34, 35), but the carbon accumulation from enhanced growth would need to be balanced with the high levels of emissions associated with fertilizer production (24).

Janowiak, M.; Swanston, C.; Ontl, T. 2017. Management of Forest Carbon Stocks. (June, 2017). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Climate Change Resource Center. https://www.fs.usda.gov/ccrc/topics/management-forest-carbon-stocks