PEM is initiating a project to monitor, verify and account for carbon  in Maine’s forests. The purpose of the project is to understand carbon flux in a variety of forest settings including conservation lands, afforested lands, working forests and forests in urban environments. Maine’s 17+ million acres of forest are unique and represent a vast natural resource of the State of Maine. PEM's office is located at the Maine Center for Enterprise Development (MCED) on the campus of the University of Southern Maine and is also the meeting location for project activities. 

 One of the goals of this effort is provide the public with a working knowledge of Maine’s forests—a window into the science and the reality of the forest as place, as provider of ecosystem services and as an economic asset.  PEM will host a workshop on May 27th from 1 to 4 pm to present internship projects as well as host speakers in related topics.Please contact PEM to receive information on this event ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or download the workshop agenda here.

Project highlights

• Creation of a database of historical, scientific and policy information specific to Maine's forests that is freely accessible
• Establishing a long term Maine forest working group consisting of scientists, students,  landowners, policy makers and other stakeholders
• Hosting working group meetings around a variety of topics and speakers (times and locations to be announced)
• Sponsoring an annual open forum addressing the future of Maine's forests in the context of climate change and forest carbon sequestration

• Develop a phased strategy for carbon trading in Maine providing a basis for grant applications and related funding
• With funding, establish real-time carbon flux monitoring of selected portions of Maine’s forest with PEMs Global Monitor Platform
• Make recommendations for creation of unique carbon products that may be of value in the states Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)
• Integrate Maine's forest carbon dynamics with the States greenhouse gas budget
• Promote stewardship and conservation of Maine's forests and the ecosystem services they provide

Project Results

• White papers (e.g., unpublished reports for discussion purposes) bringing together aspects of forest science, climate change data relevant to Maine and economic and public perspectives on the future of Maine's forests
• Student papers and  presentations
• Metadata archive for diverse topics on Maine's forests

MAINE’S FORESTS: A BRIEF HISTORY

Maine’s forests have undergone substantial change over the last 200 years resulting in widespread deforestation and regrowth related to agriculture, lumber production, the paper industry and urban expansion (see, for example: J.M. Acheson, Maine on the cusp of the forest transition. Human Organization vol 67(2) 2008). Human activities have had  profound effects on the ecological features of Maine’s forests and will continue to impact the forests composition and productivity. At the time of the American Revolution it is estimated that 65,000 people lived in Maine compared to 1.3+ million inhabitants today. The original, old growth forest in Maine represents a very small percentage of current forest cover (e.g., www.maintreefoundation.org). The interactive map below can be explored by clicking on areas of interest. Conserved lands are shown as shaded areas; clicking a point on the map reveals additional information. The map was produced by Jared Donisvitch, a USM student and  PEM intern.

 THE GOOGLE EARTH BASED INTERACTIVE MAP

 PEM WORKING GROUP ACTIVITIES

• PEM hosts weekly meetings focused on a variety of topics including review of scientific and policy publications, discussion of forest monitoring approaches and development of a credible process to establish data for carbon financial products
• White papers and other working documents will be posted to this website and available for discussion and commentary (email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to be notified of postings)
• Planning of an open forum event in May, 2010, for presentations and discussion of aspects of Maine Forest Carbon--speakers and format to be determined (email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to be notified of the event)

PEM Related Activities in the Planning Stages

• Create a photo montage of Maine's forests comparing specific locations represented in photographs through time
• Summary of data for Maine's forests in the late Holocene
• Review of Maine's greenhouse gas budget and implications for emissions reductions linked to the State's Climate Change Act (LD 845, 2003) and RGGI membership