š Read the full study in the Journal of Forestry, Vol. 123 (2025): https://doi.org/10.1007/s44392-025-00012-5 or contact Dr. Bronson Bullock and Dr. Stephen Kinane for more information.
Forests are increasingly recognized as vital players in the global climate solution. Their ability to sequester carbon, support biodiversity, and provide renewable resources positions them at the heart of Natural Climate Solutions (NCS). However, as expectations for forests grow, so does the need for accurate, transparent, and scalable tools to measure and manage their carbon contributions.
A 2025 study by Woodall et al. with support from Dr. Bronson Bullock and Dr. Stephen Kinane brings this challenge into focus. Drawing on insights from over 100 experts across academia, government, industry, and NGOs, the study outlines a roadmap for transforming forest carbon modeling into a more robust, decision-ready system to support NCS carbon offset strategies.
š²Implications for the Forest Industry
For forest industry professionals, several findings are particularly relevant:
- FVS Needs Modernization: While still widely used, FVS must evolve to incorporate new data streams (e.g., LiDAR, satellite imagery), support diverse forest types and ownerships, and improve its ability to model uncertainty and scenario sensitivity.
- Standardization is Essential: There is strong consensus across sectors on the need for consistent methods to quantify forest carbon and report uncertainty. This is critical for building trust in carbon credits and ensuring compliance with emerging regulations.
- Belowground Carbon and Disturbance Modeling Are Priorities: Understanding soil carbon dynamics and integrating natural disturbances into models are essential for accurate carbon accounting and risk assessment.
- Scalability and Adaptability Are Non-Negotiable: Future models must operate across spatial scalesāfrom stand-level to nationalāand adapt to changing policies, markets, and environmental conditions.
- Workforce Development is Key: The industry must invest in training professionals with skills in data science, coding, and ecological modeling. These competencies are now as essential as traditional forestry expertise.
š²Strategic Recommendations
The study concludes with a set of actionable recommendations:
- Build on Existing Tools, But Donāt Be Bound by Them: Enhance current systems like FVS with modular, interoperable components that can integrate new data sources and modeling approaches.
- Define Success Across Ecosystems and Stakeholders: Establish clear, shared goals for carbon modeling that reflect the diversity of forest types, ownerships, and management objectives.
- Foster Cross-Sector Collaboration: Engage scientists, policymakers, landowners, and Indigenous communities in co-developing models that are both scientifically rigorous and socially relevant.
- Leverage Emerging Technologies: Invest in AI, cloud computing, and remote sensing to improve model accuracy, reduce latency, and enable real-time decision support.
- Enhance Transparency and Communication: Develop user-friendly interfaces and reporting tools that clearly communicate model assumptions, uncertainties, and outcomes.
- Support International Harmonization: Align U.S. modeling efforts with international standards and practices, particularly in temperate and boreal forest biomes.
The future of forest carbon depends on our ability to model it accurately and transparently. This research lays the groundwork for a new generation of decision-support tools that can help forests deliver on their climate promise.
