How Oregon and other tree-rich areas use their forests will figure prominently in both the creation and capture of greenhouse gases.
Emissions studies show that Oregon's forest products industry creates the largest single chunk of the state's carbon emissions, through burning of fossil fuels in logging, among other activities. At the same time, the forests themselves are capable of soaking up carbon emissions.
A study that included Oregon State University calculated the carbon effects of several forest events: logging, reforestation, and fire among them. Beverly Law at OSU is the lead author of the study and our guest.