Effect of landscape-level fuel treatments on carbon emissions and storage over a 50 yr time cycle

We investigated how multiple fuel treatment types, organized in varying spatial arrangements, and at increasing proportions of a mixed-conifer forest in the Klamath Mountains of northern California (~20,000 ha) variably affect carbon sequestration and emissions over a 50 year time period. Preliminary analysis of three fuel treatment scenarios (fire only, mechanical only, and fire + mechanical) and an untreated landscape indicates that treating large areas with prescribed fire may increase carbon emissions in the short term but may be off-set by an increase in long term carbon storage.