COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists studying how much carbon is stored in Midwest forests say their findings suggest forests might be used to offset greenhouse gas emissions.
The Ohio State University researchers argue forests help stabilize the climate and are abundant sources of other ecological goods and services. Quantifying the amount of carbon forests can keep out of the atmosphere is one way of showing forests' value to energy policymakers, the researchers suggest.
"Demonstrating that forests have economic value because they offer carbon offsets might also help citizens have an appropriately broad appreciation for the things that forests do for them beyond providing recreation or wood used for construction or paper pulp," said Professor Peter Curtis, senior author of the study.
The study found carbon storage in Midwestern forests could offset the greenhouse gas emissions of nearly two-thirds of nearby populations, and, with proper management sustain or even increase the forests' storage capacity for future generations.
The research that included scientists from Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Michigan and Germany's Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology appeared in a recent issue of the journal BioScience.