Promote species with enhanced carbon density in woody biomass

Favoring tree species with higher wood densities, such as managing for hardwood species in forest types or natural communities where hardwood and conifer species co-occur, may increase carbon density and storage at stand levels. Many areas of natural forest have been planted to even-aged conifer plantations, due to relatively fast growth and ability to produce timber, with resulting decreases in forest carbon stocks relative to natural forests or naturally regenerated hardwood stands. Increasing the cover of hardwood species within conifer plantations, or the transition to natural forest stands following harvest may increase carbon stocks, as well as reduce potential carbon loss from greater risk of disturbance–induced mortality in even-aged conifer stands relative to natural hardwood stands.

Land managers already work in many ways to increase forest productivity through enhancing structural heterogeneity and species diversity. As an adaptation strategy for managing forest carbon, this general goal receives added effort and focus when managing systems whose current characteristics limit the ability of the forest to sequester carbon or increase the risk of carbon losses through disturbance under a changing climate. This strategy is focuses on altering the characteristics of a forest through intentional alterations of species composition and structure so the desired future conditions of the forest are significantly changed from current conditions. These changes may be necessary in order to create ecosystems that are better adapted to the range of expected future conditions, thereby maintaining desired ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration and storage and reducing the risk of carbon loss from disturbance.