Tanana Valley State Forest chosen to begin program starting in '26 BY TIM BRADNER ALASKA’S DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IS ON TRACK FOR THE FIRST SALE OF FOREST CARBON CREDITS FROM THE TANANA VALLEY STATE FOREST IN THE INTERIOR IN LATE 2026, ACCORDING TO THE DNR. This would also bring the first revenue to the state from the program, which has been championed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy as a new source of state income, along with another program to lease state-owned underground oil and reservoir space for sequestering or storing carbon dioxide injected down special wells. On forest carbon credits, an experienced consulting firm, Terra Verde, is now under contract to DNR to help develop and coordinate registration of the Alaska project with a recognized carbon registry, the American Carbon Registry (ACR). ACR is an independent entity that would oversee the project and issue the carbon credits. Terra Verde would do the science in evaluating the ability of forested acreage to store carbon which would then be verified by the ACR. Actual sales of credits would be by the state, with Terra Verde assisting. The plan for forest carbon sales in late 2026 is ahead of the schedule given to the Legislature when legislation passed approving the program. DNR said the initial feasibility work for the Tanana Valley project has been completed but that the agency must still do a best interest finding, the public process that ensures the project is in the best interest of the state. The Tanana Valley State Forest was chosen to begin the program because its forest management plan will be the first to be revised to allow for carbon projects. Specific parts of the forest would be involved, portions with “merchantable” timber including white spruce and birch that have superior ability to absorb and store carbon as compared with black spruce common in the area. Carbon credit sales involve buyers purchasing credits based on the amount of carbon stored in forests. Buyers are typically large corporations engaged in businesses or industries where carbon dioxide is emitted through their operations. While companies typically take steps to minimize carbon emissions, at some point that is not economically feasible and the company buys carbon “offset” credits, for example from a forest owner who guarantees not to harvest trees, at least significantly, so they can continue to absorb carbon from the air. Here's an overview of how these programs operate: Trees absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, and the amount of carbon stored is estimated by first inventorying trees to establish a baseline for carbon dioxide absorbed. There is remeasuring periodically. The independent carbon registry then reviews the methods and data used in measuring and reporting before verifying the credits for sale. www.AKRDC.org 37 VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 2 | SPRING 2025 STATE ON TRACK TO SELL FOREST CARBON CREDITS DNR said the initial feasibility work for the Tanana Valley project has been completed but that the agency must still do a best interest finding, the public process that ensures the project is in the best interest of the state.
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