Forest Carbon in the Issaquah Alps

When you set foot in the Issaquah Alps, you find yourself amongst the trees - but also in a sea of carbon. Douglas firs, cedars, and hemlocks reach their branches to the sky, taking in carbon dioxide and storing (“sequestering”) the carbon in their wood. Old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest are some of the most carbon-dense in the world - they store more carbon per acre than even the Amazon rainforest!

Protecting older forests can be an effective strategy to preserve the carbon in these larger trees. One new strategy to put these forests into conservation status is to set them aside as “carbon reserves,” where the forests are recognized for the value of carbon stored in the trees. Forests in the Issaquah Alps have been set aside for conservation through DNR’s new 10,000-acre carbon reserve, which includes land on Tiger Mountain, as well as a project by City Forest Credits on Cougar Mountain. Companies seeking to offset their carbon emissions can purchase carbon credits from these and other forestry projects, which provides additional funding for ecosystem restoration and conservation projects throughout Washington.

IATC is hosting its first in-person forum since the pandemic on this very topic of forest carbon! Join us to learn more about how forests store carbon and how that carbon can fund further conservation projects. IATC’s Vice President, Kelly Jiang, will facilitate a panel discussion  featuring experts from King County Parks, the City of Issaquah, and City Forest Credits. Space is limited, so please register here to reserve your spot. Food will be provided, and the suggested donation is $50. We hope to see you there!