Preservation of a Native Northwest ForestVital Statistics Offsets: 263,159 metric tons carbon dioxide
Equivalent to taking 54,422 cars off the road for a year Project Type: Sequestration Project Lifetime: 100 years Contract Signing Date: 2002 Location: Washington Project Partners: Lummi Indian Tribe
Project Description
The
Climate Trust has contracted to purchase offsets from a Lummi Indian Tribe
project to acquire previously logged forest land and manage it to permanent
old growth. This project also creates an educational laboratory for the Northwest
Indian College. With funding from The Climate Trust the Lummi Indian Tribe
has bought more than 1,654 acres of historical tribal forest land near Mt.
Vernon, Washington, to protect it from logging and to capture 350,000 metric
tons of carbon dioxide over the next century. A 100-year conservation easement
will help ensure that old growth forests develop and are preserved. The project
site is located in the Arlecho Creek watershed, and involves rare mid-elevation
Cascade mountain forest.
How the project reduces CO2
The Arlecho Creek land that was purchased by the Lummi Indian Tribe was threatened
by commercial logging. This project will protect and restore the land and allow
it to grow back to old growth forest. Over the 100 year life of the project
the forest will capture at least 350,000 metric tons of the most significant
greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide. The project site will be used as an educational
laboratory by the Northwest Indian College, which is chartered by the Lummi
Indian Tribe, and other universities. The laboratory will both educate Indian
and non-Indian students about measuring the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered
in trees, soil and other vegetation, as well as facilitate research on halting
global warming through sequestration of carbon dioxide in forests.
Non-GHG Benefits
Preservation and reforestation of the Arlecho Creek lands will help sustain
important salmon and endangered species habitat
The project site is also a sanctuary for the traditional religious practices
of the Lummi Indian Tribe
Additionality Criteria: Why We’re Involved With The Climate Trust’s funding, the Lummi Indian Tribe was able to
acquire the Arlecho Creek site that would have remained under logging company
ownership, and been subsequently logged.
Partners
