Forest Carbon Product Performance

The Endowment is advancing forestry’s future by leading coalitions to address key issues, including a project to monitor, measure, report, and verify forest and forest product carbon performance using a digital platform. This effort aims to validate carbon claims, encourage investments, and highlight the carbon-saving potential of using wood over carbon-intensive materials. Key collaborators include the American Forest Foundation, American Wood Council, Decorative Hardwoods Association, National Alliance of Forest Owners, National Wooden Pallet and Container Association and the USDA Forest Service.

U.S. forest products, known for low embodied carbon and high carbon storage, are being documented for their carbon benefits. This information will aid architects and engineers in making environmentally conscious decisions. The initiative enhances transparency in carbon data reporting across the forest sector, positioning forests and forest products as a sustainability leader.

The online platform, supported by USDA-developed tools, will offer comprehensive carbon data for various stakeholders, merge inventory data with cutting-edge technologies for accurate forest carbon stock assessments, and report on wood products’ embodied carbon and their carbon displacement benefits. This platform aims to provide reliable data to support sustainable building practices and help the forest sector thrive in a decarbonizing world.