Task I Findings and Recommendations
I6
Finding There is a lack of clarity in the relative roles of carbon markets and stewardship in tribal forestry ■ DOI’s stance that carbon sequestration is not a trust asset and presumably that BIA has limited trust responsibility precludes codification of the important role of forests and forestry in the realities of climate risks and in providing an important tribal and public asset for decarbonization. As it stands now, the multiple commitments in carbon agreements and their implications for forest management are not reflected in the forest management or integrated resource management plans. Few if any forest management plans have estimates of carbon stocks or trends in net stock changes or quantitative expressions of forest conditions of tribe’s carbon assets. ■ The DOI rationale and BIA’s lack of staffing seems to have contributed to a lack of guidance on either carbon market participation or on approaches to integrate forest carbon stewardship with other goals and objectives in forest planning. Neither has technical assistance from BIA been developed to support long-term carbon stewardship and monitoring – in or out of carbon market arrangements – and on understanding and estimating carbon responses to forest disturbances, practices, and investments. ■ There are differences in the nature
Recommendation ■ Clarify the perspective and roles of DOI/ BIA on carbon market arrangements and carbon stewardship trust responsibilities. Better define the technical services and guidance that can be provided in fulfilling these roles. ■ Encourage tribes to track and evaluate their forest carbon assets and their relationship with forest condition and other resource values that underpin the FMP and IRMP. Develop capacity in staff to bring carbon and climate-informed management practices into the planning and management processes.
and levels of involvement of the forestry program in carbon market
arrangements. These arrangements have usually been led by tribal government, sometimes with little input by the forestry program, who could help evaluate options, risks, and compatibility with forest resource goals and objectives. (continued on next page)
182 Assessment of Indian Forests and Forest Management in the United States
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