BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 27, 2022
Can we reduce greenhouse gas emissions in New England by 30 percent? That’s a lot of carbon to suck out of the air. With more than 17 million acres of forest, Maine is in a unique position to make a difference. Private timberland makes up the vast majority of that. But Maine forests are more than an endless wood supply. Ecological reserves, public lands and forever-wild areas are part of the mix. The missing link has been adequate levels of investment. An opportunity to provide that landed in February when the U.S.D.A. announced a competitive $1 billion grant for pilot projects that create markets for “climate-smart” commodities. It will take until 2050 to reach zero carbon emissions in New England, with the forests of New England contributing 30 percent. Let’s use available funding, innovation, existing knowledge and infrastructure and a skilled workforce to create a climate chain reaction from the forests of Maine to wood buildings in cities ranging from Bangor to Boston and beyond. ~ Alec Giffen, New England Forestry Foundation; former director, Maine Forest Service