The Outlook
April 2008

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
W e l c o m e

Last month, Dovetail introduced the topic of Ecosystem Markets and the potential to support land stewardship.  This month we look into the details of carbon storage in wood products. The issue is significant when one considers the fact that the carbon stored within wood products in the United States is over one-third that being sequestered annually within the nation's forests.  

Our second report looks at the impact of an invasive pest, the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire).  The EAB is having far reaching consequences for rural and urban forest managers, owners and users. The spread of EAB in the U.S. has been linked to the movement of firewood and our report looks at how the firewood industry can respond.

I also invite you to make a donation to support this newsletter and our work.  Dovetail Partners is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, your contribution is tax-deductible, and you can make a donation online today!

- Jeff   

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I n   T h i s   I s s u e:

R e p o r t s:

Wood Products and Carbon Protocols

Carbon Storage and Low Energy Intensity Should Be Considered

Firewood Movement and the Emerald Ash Borer


N e w s:

Dovetail Partners Says Carbon Credits Should be More Inclusive

Carbon Storage and Low-Energy Intensity of Wood Products Need to be Considered

Family Forest Certification Moves Forward

FSC-US and the FSC Family Forests Alliance Announce Next Steps in Standards Development Process

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

D o v e t a i l   R e p o r t s

All reports are available online.

Wood Products and Carbon Protocols

Carbon Storage and Low Energy Intensity Should Be Considered

Jim Bowyer

In developing incentives and protocols to reduce carbon emissions and increase carbon sequestration, one glaring omission stands out.   Storage of carbon within wood products has thus far been ignored by policy analysts, as has the low energy intensity (and even lower fossil fuel intensity) of wood products in general. The omission is significant since in the United States alone carbon stored within wood products is over one-third that being sequestered annually within the nation's forests.  

The lack of recognition of lower energy and fossil fuel intensity is even more serious because the impact of these factors on carbon flux is substantially greater than that attributable to carbon storage.   The data on carbon storage in wood products and their low-energy intensity is increasingly well documented and readily available.  

The time is right and strong opportunities exist for carbon protocols and markets for carbon credits to recognize the carbon storage benefits of wood products.

http://www.dovetailinc.org/reports/pdf/DovetailCarbon0408hz.pdf

Firewood Movement and the Emerald Ash Borer
Steve Bratkovich
 

For decades, chestnut blight, Dutch elm disease, and the gypsy moth have wreaked havoc on the forests of North America.   Today, another round of invasive pests including the Sirex wood wasp, Asian longhorn beetle and the emerald ash borer (EAB) are demonstrating their negative impacts.  In particular, the EAB ( Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) is having far reaching consequences for rural and urban forest managers, owners and users.    

Because the spread of EAB in the U.S. has been linked to the movement of firewood from infested to non-infested areas, the consequences to firewood producers, marketers, and users is significant.  

This report addresses the current status of EAB and firewood movement in the United States including quarantines, regulations, and options for the firewood industry.

http://www.dovetailinc.org/reports/pdf/DovetailEAB0408ev.pdf

To access Dovetail's Publications, click here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

N e w s

More Dovetail News is available online.

Dovetail Partners Says Carbon Credits Should be More Inclusive

Carbon Storage and Low-Energy Intensity of Wood Products Need to be Considered

Minneapolis, MN (4/28/08) – Carbon credits and carbon sequestration are in the news almost daily.   Policymakers and the public continue to raise concerns about the need to address greenhouse gas emissions.

“Beyond even the global warming considerations, there is a basic need to look at air quality and take action to reduce impacts wherever possible,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, a nonprofit based in Minneapolis and providing authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives.

A Dovetail Report released today addresses the opportunities for consumer choices to result in additional carbon storage and reductions in fossil fuel use.

For the complete article:

http://www.dovetailinc.org/DovetailNews0408.html

Family Forest Certification Moves Forward

FSC-US and the FSC Family Forests Alliance Announce Next Steps in Standards Development Process

Minneapolis, MN (4/16/08) - Forest product and forestland certification are rapidly gaining recognition in the marketplace as vehicles for rewarding responsible forest management practices. More than 250 million acres of forests are certified around the world under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard. Despite the growth in forest certification, it is often difficult for small ownerships and family forests to participate.

“Family forests are an important part of the landscape and provide critically important ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration, water quality protection, and wildlife habitat,” says Corey Brinkema, President of FSC-US.

At meetings held in Minneapolis on April 7th and 8th, the FSC-US undertook the next steps for expanding family forest certification opportunities in the United States.

“In the U.S. almost 60% of the forests are privately owned and it is important to include these lands in forest stewardship efforts,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners and Secretariat for the FSC Family Forests Alliance, a collaborative group that is advocating for expanded access to FSC certification opportunities for small privately owned forests.

For the complete article:

http://www.dovetailinc.org/AllianceNews0408.html

To Subscribe, click here.

To make a tax-deductible donation to Dovetail, click here.