Carbon Offset Programs – Opportunities

Forest carbon markets have made notable gains over the past 10 years. Compliance-based markets established by the California Air and Resources Board have provided a strong market for forestland enrollment and have proven carbon market viability. This compliance-based market is accessible only to private forest landowners. Yet, demand forest carbon offsets have increased dramatically in recent years as corporations and emitters work to offset emissions for fossil fuels, which have driven voluntary forest carbon offset credit sales. These voluntary markets allow private and most public forestlands to enroll forestlands into programs approved by existing registries.

The growth of the voluntary market has now created a great opportunity for the public forests of Wisconsin and the Lake States region. This is especially true for the county forest and other forest lands in Wisconsin, where multiple-use forest management policies allow forestry teams and county committees the ability to effectively manage forestlands and consider income generating opportunities within the context of long-term goals and objectives. Forest carbon projects can be built to accommodate timber harvest plans and the continued supply of forest products. Although these programs do incentivize landowners to retain timber stocking on the landscape, projects can be successfully established on forestlands while maintaining historic harvest levels into the future.

At Steigerwaldt Land Services, Inc., our experts are experienced in all stages of forest carbon project development and management. Our team has installed forest carbon plots on over 1,000,000 acres across North America. We can guide landowners and land managers through the process of learning more about carbon offset programs and can assist with long-term monitoring and project obligations.

Please contact us today for more information.