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University Forest Carbon Inventory
Project Description
Cal Poly Humboldt is the owner of an 888-acre forest in Jacoby Creek. This forest contains an unknown amount of carbon stored in its trees, which it captures through a process known as sequestration. In 2022, a pilot program (originally called the Jacoby Creek Carbon Inventory) was launched to quantify the carbon present in this forest. The SHIFT Committee originally allocated $61,453 to this effort in the 23-24 AY which resulted in the training of 14 new students and the completion of approximately 30% of the forest inventory. With an additional $63,260 awarded in AY 24-25, this project will continue to measure the amount of carbon sequestered in the forest to offset the university's carbon emissions.
Image courtesy of the City of Arcata (2017).Cal Poly Humboldt (CPH) has an 888-acre forest in Jacoby Creek which sequesters unknown amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. To quantify this carbon uptake, the “University Forest Carbon Sinks” project proposes to conduct ongoing data collection, inventory, and calculation of carbon stored in trees. When measured according to protocol, carbon sequestration data can be used to offset carbon emissions coming from energy used on campus. This work will be done by experienced field trained student employees. Within the project proposal group, two members began work in 2022 installing long-term carbon monitoring plots on CPH’s Jacoby Creek Forest, and one conducted the same work in College of the Redwoods (CR) campus forest. With the new SHIFT funding in 2025, they will train future students to continue this work. Additional project oversight will come from faculty partners at both CPH and CR. Continuation of this project will provide valuable experience for students in forest data collection and carbon quantification, as well as providing CPH an opportunity to meet its goal of moving towards carbon neutrality by 2045 with verifiable carbon credits.
University Forest Carbon Inventory Slideshow