CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN CALIFORNIA’S CONIFER FORESTS
Located approximately 20 miles southeast of Mount Shasta in Northern California, the McCloud forest covers approximately 9,000 acres of commercial timberlands held under conservation easements granted to The Pacific Forest Trust (PFT).
With an over-story dominated by white fir, incense-cedar, ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, and sugar pine, and an under-story of dogwood, hazel, whitethorn, and golden chinquapin, McCloud is a vibrant example of North-Central California’s mixed conifer forest. The forest provides habitat for a rich variety of fauna including mule deer, white-tailed deer, bobcat, cougar, badger, McCloud River red band trout, and a large population of black bear. The conservation easement, coupled with the commitments associated with the carbon project, ensure that this unique ecosystem will be preserved in perpetuity.
Ultimately, the environmental benefits of the McCloud project go well beyond climate protection through carbon sequestration. By implementing the easement and carbon protocol standards for sustainable timber harvesting, the project serves to promote the maintenance of species diversity, prevention of erosion, improvement of water quality, and safeguarding of natural landscape aesthetics.
