Past and prospective carbon stocks in forests of northern Wisconsin: a report from the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Climate Change Response Framework

Abstract

This report assesses past and prospective carbon stocks for 4.5 million ha of forest land in northern Wisconsin, including a baseline assessment and analysis of the impacts of disturbance and management on carbon stocks. Carbon density (amount of carbon stock per unit area) averages 237 megagrams (Mg) per ha, with the National Forest lands having slightly higher carbon density than other ownership classes. Over the last decade, carbon stocks of northern Wisconsin forests have been increasing by about one teragram (Tg) per year or 0.22 megagrams per ha per year, with most of the increase in live biomass. Harvest, wind, and fire have been principal drivers of forest carbon dynamics over the last century. For all forest types in northern Wisconsin, there is potential to increase stocking on the land by allowing more of the forested area to reach older age classes or by increasing productivity. Opportunities to increase afforestation and reduce deforestation are limited, but the potential exists for utilizing biomass energy as a substitute for fossil fuels. There are several options for private landowners to participate in carbon markets or greenhouse gas registries and receive some credit for additional actions to reduce emissions or increase sequestration of carbon. The methods used here can be adapted for use by other regions or forests to assess carbon stocks and effects of management on future carbon stocks.Cover photo by Scott Pearson.

Unraveling Forest Complexity: Resource Use Efficiency, Disturbance, and the Structure‐Function Relationship

“…Two sites (NE4 and SW2) contain stands that fall within the old growth successional stage, characterized in the temperate Lake States (Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan) by the presence of long‐lived tree species that are at or greater than 120 years of age and exist in an advanced stage of structural development (Frelich, 1995). Forest Inventory Analysis data show that the oldest forests sampled in the temperate Lake States region are between 200 and 210 years old (Birdsey et al., 2014).…”

“…Heterogeneity is further accentuated by a long history of nonuniform forest management practices including thinning and clearcuts, resulting in increased variability in stand age and structure. Forests in Northern Wisconsin typically have an age distribution centered around “middle age,” or 40–90 years (Birdsey et al., 2014; Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 2019). This age pattern is reflective of the fact that the majority of the forested land was logged in the mid‐19th to early 20th century to clear land for agricultural purposes (Desai et al., 2008; Gough et al., 2007; Rhemtulla et al., 2009), which was followed by subsequent periods of agricultural land abandonment, reforestation, fire suppression, and intensive timber harvest (Birdsey et al., 2006).…”

Unravelling Forest Complexity: Resource Use Efficiency, Disturbance, and the Structure-Function Relationship

“…Heterogeneity is further accentuated by a long history of non-uniform forest management practices including thinning and clear-cuts, resulting in increased variability in stand age and structure. Forests in Northern Wisconsin typically have an age distribution centered around 'middle age', or 40 -90 years (Birdsey et al, 2014, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 2019. This age pattern is reflective of the fact that the majority of the forested land was logged in the midˉ19 th to early 20 th century to clear land for agricultural purposes (Desai et al, 2007, Gough et al, 2007, Rhemtulla et al, 2009, which was followed by subsequent periods of agricultural land abandonment, reforestation, fire suppression, and intensive timber harvest (Birdsey et al, 2006).…”

“…Two sites (NE4 and SW2) contain stands that fall within the old growth successional stage, characterized in the temperate Lake States (Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan) by the presence of long-lived tree species that are at or greater than 120 years of age and exist in an advanced stage of structural development (Frelich, 1995). Forest Inventory Analysis data shows that the oldest forests sampled in the temperate Lake States region are between 200 -210 years old (Birdsey et al, 2014).…”