The Forest Management & Incentives working group will focus on the upstream of the supply chain, exploring how forest management practices and natural climate solutions can enhance forest carbon and climate resilience, and how the actors across the wood product supply chain can support these actions. We will identify challenges and potential solutions related to ecological forest management, carbon markets, and other incentives climate-smart forestry.
GOALS FOR THE WORKING GROUP
- Per the above, the main goal is to produce a challenges & solutions document in this thematic area that will be the basis or work during the Summit and, when finalized, will chart the critical path forward post-Summit.
- Utilize and contribute to the Knowledge Hub, where relevant resources – reports, links, recorded webinars, research papers, etc. – are concentrated and curated.
- Identify and recruit speakers for Summit level-setting presentations in this thematic area followed by break-out groups.
- Conclude Summit discussions with wrap-up / report out / next steps in this thematic area.
The aim is for each working group to have goals 1-3 ready to share no later than March 15th, allowing sufficient time for review and distribution prior to the Summit on April 14th and 15th.
STARTING POINT FOR DISCUSSION
- What forest interventions or projects have the greatest impact on forest carbon sequestration, and how can they be supported by mass timber and climate-smart wood procurement?
- What are the climate and ecosystem service impacts of different forest management practices/silvicultural treatments (e.g. site preparation, thinning, rotation length, harvesting)? How can they be supported by mass timber and climate smart wood procurement?
- What is the state of voluntary and compliance carbon markets? How can or do they reward climate friendlier forestry and restoration in North America?
- What are the barriers and opportunities for small landowners participating in carbon markets? Large landowners? Tribal nations?
- What are the considerations and protocols for ensuring additionality of forest carbon offsets?
- What other ecosystem services or values should be considered in mass timber procurement, aside from carbon sequestration (e.g. water quality, climate change adaptation)?
- What are working forest conservation easements, and how might mass timber and climate-smart wood procurement support them?
- Can community forestry play a role in climate-smart wood supply chains?