Advanced Carbon Modeling Techniques for the Forest Health Quantification Methodology

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Principal Investigator/Author: Jonathan Greenberg

Contractor: University of Nevada, Reno

Contract Number: 20STC014

Project Status: Completed

Relevant CARB Programs: Greenhouse Gas Inventory Program

Topic Areas: Wildfire Emission Estimates, Climate Change, Forestry

 

Research Summary:

CARB staff developed the Forest Health Program Quantification Methodology (QM) to quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits of investments from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) in forestry activities, including fuel reduction activities. Currently, the QM is primarily utilized by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Forest Health Program—a highly competitive grant program that requires the ability for simultaneous use of the QM for applicants to estimate net GHG benefits of potential projects.

Senate Bill 901 directed CARB to “develop a standardized system for quantifying the direct carbon emissions and decay from fuel reduction activities for purposes of meeting the accounting requirements for [GGRF] expenditures.” The purpose of this project is to design and implement a streamlined and simplified quantification methodology for fuel reduction and other forestry activities that will result in net savings to the State and to other entities using the quantification methodology to access State funding.

Project objectives include:

  1. Simplify the process for quantifying the benefits of forest management projects and reduce State expenses related to quantifying the benefits of these projects
  2. Maintain the scientific rigor of the current QM;
  3. Expand the QM to include non-forested ecosystems;
  4. Integrate co-benefit calculations into the QM tool;
  5. Make it easier to evaluate the benefit calculations submitted by program applicants.

 

Keywords: greenhouse gas (GHG), emissions, CAL FIRE, quantification methodology, fuel reduction, forestry