CIERP Founder Bill Moomaw releases two new publications

CIERP Founder Bill Moomaw has co-authored two new publications. Learn more about the publications below:

Large Trees Dominate Carbon Storage in Forests East of the Cascade Crest in the United States Pacific Northwest

By David J. Mildrexler, Logan T. Berner, Beverly E. Law, Richard A. Birdsey, William R. Moomaw

This research finds that large trees hold a disproportionate amount of the carbon in 6 US National Forests in Oregon. The five main timber species account for 3% of the 636,520 measured trees greater than 53 cm (21″) in diameter, but they hold 42% of the above ground carbon. A larger sub-class of these trees greater than 76 cm (30″) in diameter, were just 0.6% of the trees but hold 16.6% of above ground carbon. This illustrates the importance of allowing large trees to become even larger to accumulate the greatest amount of carbon through proforestation management. The US forest Service is proposing to relax the rule that forbids the harvesting of trees larger than 21″, And this study estimates the very large loss of carbon to the atmosphere that would occur if these large and very large trees were harvested. The paper also describes the alteration of microclimates in the region of these large trees, the ecological implications for other species, increased fire risk, alteration of the water regime and loss of climate resiliency. Read it here.

Citation: David J. Mildrexler, Logan T. Berner, Beverly E. Law, Richard A. Birdsey, William R. Moomaw (2020). Large Trees Dominate Carbon Storage in Forests East of the Cascade Crest in the United States Pacific Northwest. Front. For. Glob. Change, 05 November 2020 | https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2020.594274

Towards a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Wetlands, Marine and Freshwater Research

by G. T. Davies, C. M. Finlayson, D. E. Pritchard,N. C. Davidson, R. C. Gardner, W. R. Moomaw, E. Okuno and J. C. Whitacre

In this article we propose a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Wetlands, consistent with the1982 World Charter for Nature. Recognition of these rights supports the provision of ecosystem services essential to human well-being and to other life on Earth. Further, such rights could reinforce efforts to reduce wetland loss and deterioration, thereby slowing climate destabilization and biodiversity declines. Because world scientists have warned that biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation and climate destabilization, which intensify wetland loss, constitute global emergencies, new approaches are required to ensure that wetlands are protected and their benefits to people sustained.

Supplementary materials provide an annotated timeline and world map of the evolving expansion of rights to larger classes of humans and communities and the expansion of personhood and rights to nature in multiple locations in the world and internationally. Read it here.

Citation: G. T. Davies, C. M. Finlayson, D. E. Pritchard,N. C. Davidson, R. C. Gardner, W. R. Moomaw, E. Okuno and J. C. Whitacre 2020. Towards a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Wetlands, Marine and Freshwater Researchhttps://doi.org/10.1071/MF20219