Northern Research Station

Title: Carbon in U.S. forests and wood products, 1987-1997: state-by-state estimates

Author: Birdsey, R.A.; Lewis, G.M.

Date: 2003

Source: Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-310. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station. 42 p.

Station ID: GTR-NE-310

Description: Estimated changes in carbon stocks are reported for the forests and wood products of the 50 U.S. States. Carbon stocks on forest land and in harvested wood products increased between 1987 and 1997 at an annual rate of 190 million metric tons. Most of this increase was in biomass, followed closely by wood products and landfills. Changes in land use since 1987 caused a small decrease in carbon stocks, but this loss was offset by large gains on existing forest land. The East had the greatest gain in carbon stocks with smaller gains estimated for the West. Most of the individual states showed increases in ecosystem and wood-products carbon. Observed changes were attributed to distinct regional and local factors, e.g., timber production, land-use change, and natural disturbance.

Keywords: global change, forest carbon, forest inventory

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Citation

Birdsey, R.A.; Lewis, G.M.  2003.  Carbon in U.S. forests and wood products, 1987-1997: state-by-state estimates.   Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-310. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station. 42 p..