Massachusetts is now legislatively committed to reaching “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Forests are expected to put the “net” into this “net zero” goal. According to the legislation, forest carbon sequestration (sometimes called “negative emissions”) can be counted to offset up to 15% of the emissions reduction goal. Is this a good idea? Is it even possible? How can we influence forests’ ability to sequester and store carbon?
Dr. Jonathan Thompson at Harvard Forest will discuss these questions in the context of long-term forest ecosystem dynamics and try to understand the role of Massachusetts forests in combating climate change.
Dr. Thompson is a Senior Ecologist and Research Director at the Harvard Forest, Harvard’s 4,000-acre laboratory and classroom for ecological research. His research focuses on long-term and broad-scale changes in forest ecosystems, with an emphasis on quantifying how land use – including harvest, conversion, and land protection – affects forest ecosystem processes and services. He is the Principal Investigator for the Harvard Forest Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program, sponsored by the National Science Foundation and involving more than 100 scientists and students investigating the dynamics of the New England landscape. Dr. Thompson holds a Ph.D. in Forest Ecology and an M.S. in Forest Policy from Oregon State Univ.
Sponsored by Metrowest Climate Solutions.
Recently on Twitter