Carbon Stewardship of National Forests and Grasslands
DOWNLOADJuly 6, 2026
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EmailThe USDA Forest Service has been managing forests and grasslands for over a century, and understanding the key acts of congress that give it the authority to purchase and manage lands is key to understanding forest management in a changing climate. Changing climate patterns paired with complex federal policies can create challenges for federal land managers. Recent attention has shifted towards carbon stewardship, or the idea of managing land in a way that considers how and where carbon is stored to ensure forest health and resilience. This paper will cover some of the defining legislation that guides the Forest Service, and lay out the need for carbon stewardship, providing examples of management activities. This white paper draws on information developed in a professional short course by the Michigan State University, Department of Forestry, Forest Carbon and Climate Program and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, a collaborative, multi-institutional partnership led by the USDA Forest Service.
