a forest carbon sequestration research partnership: tribes ...wilcox uneven-age thinning trial •...

A Forest Carbon SequestrationResearch Partnership:

Tribes, Tribal College, & State University

Robert KenningForestry Department Head

Geospatial Program CoordinatorSalish Kootenai College

Robert_kenning@skc.edu

Research Objectives

• How is forest carbon uptake influenced by management – (different thinning

spacings)

• Develop & validate whole-tree biomass equations– Add to regional

collection efforts

Research Partnership Benefits Tribal College

Student experience Research capacity

Research Partnership Benefits Tribal College

Student experience Research capacity

Tribes’ Forestry Dept. Local research Applied research

Research Partnership Benefits Tribal College

Student experience Research capacity

Tribes’ Forestry Dept. Local research Applied research

State University Research outreach to

Indian Country Tribal perspective

USDA NIFA - Tribal Colleges Research

Research capacity at Tribal Colleges

Student experiential learning

USDA NIFA - Tribal Colleges Research

70% funding to Tribal College

Must partner with 1862 Land Grant university

USDA NIFA - Tribal Colleges Research

NIFA “Critical Need Areas”

Development of sustainable energy

Increased global food security

Adaptation /mitigation of agriculture and natural resources to global climate change

Reduction of childhood and adolescent obesity

Improved food safety.

Rationale

• Nez Perce Tribe & Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes (CSKT)

• Track Carbon Stocks &Carbon Sequestration

– Opportunity?– Non-timber forest value $

Rationale

• Re-measure thinning trial plots– Wilcox uneven-age ponderosa. Est. 1970

– Douglas-fir, est. 1984– Grand fir, est. 1984

Doable Student Research Question

• How does forest management affect carbon stocks & sequestration, per area?– Different thinning spacings

Local Area

• Forest Types– Ponderosa– Ponderosa/Doug fir/larch– True fir & Lodgepole pine– Spruce/Subalpine fir

Local Area

Methods

• Thinning plot re-measurement– Whole tree biomass, aboveground:– Stem taper– Crown

• Destructive sampling– Dry weight

Methods

• Individual tree yield – Predict biomass for major species

– Apply biomass equations to CFI data

Wilcox Uneven-Age Thinning Trial

• Re-measure Earl Wilcox thinning trial– Uneven-age Ponderosa thinning trials– Established 1970– Six 4.9-acre plots– Residual basal area:

• 25, 35, 45, • 55, 60, unthinned

Wilcox Uneven-Age Thinning Trial

• Were cut again 1989– Residual BA: 35, 35, 45, 45, 55, unthinned

• Re-measured 1993– Becker & Corse (1997)

• Interim results:– BA < 55 sq ft for regen– Yield best 45, 55, 60 BA

Challenges

• Thinning plots affected by elytroderma & insect mortality

References• Becker & Corse. 1997. Resetting the Clock

with Uneven-Aged Management. Journal of Forestry. V.95(11) p.29-32.

• http://calcarbondash.org/

Questions?