Image courtesy of the City of Arcata (2017).

Cal Poly Humboldt (CPH) has an 888-acre forest in Jacoby Creek which sequesters unknown amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. To quantify this carbon uptake, the “University Forest Carbon Sinks” project proposes to conduct ongoing data collection, inventory, and calculation of carbon stored in trees. When measured according to protocol, carbon sequestration data can be used to offset carbon emissions coming from energy used on campus. This work will be done by experienced field trained student employees. Within the project proposal group, two members began work in 2022 installing long-term carbon monitoring plots on CPH’s Jacoby Creek Forest, and one conducted the same work in College of the Redwoods (CR) campus forest. Using their experience, they propose to train future students to continue this work. Additional project oversight will come from faculty partners at both CPH and CR.  

To complete the inventory in CPH’s Jacoby Creek Forest, we are requesting funding for a group of students to work year-round when available, to complete the last three years of the 5-year measurement cycle. We have budgeted the total cost for wages, transportation, and supplies to be $189,944. This amount is flexible, and less will only mean a slower rate of completion or using other funding sources. Continuation of this project will provide valuable experience for students in forest data collection and carbon quantification, as well as providing CPH an opportunity to meet its goal of moving towards carbon neutrality by 2045 with verifiable carbon credits.