Background Information on Carbon Sequestration in Rangeland and Agricultural Soils

We have posted a selection of items that provide additional background on the potential for sequestering vast amounts of carbon on agricultural and rangeland soils in the West.

WCA letter to President Obama urging him to make evaluating the potential of the approach WCA is proposing the highest federal priority in CO2 research and development.

“It’s Time the Sky Fell”  is an article by WCA Ranching and Rangeland Revitalization Project Coordinator Steve Rich that appeared in Range magazine.  It lays out the research and opportunities for sequestering carbon in rangeland soils and is one of the attachments to the letter sent to the president.

Submission to the parliament of the Australian state of Victoria by Dr. Christine Jones, one of the foremost Australian researchers in this area laying out her research on the opportunities to sequester carbon on agricultural lands.   This was also an attachment to the letter sent to the president.

“Carbon Neutral Ranching--Blackstone Ranch” summarizes research on carbon sequestration on a private ranch and demonstrates that huge potential of agricultural lands.

“The Back Forty Down Under--Adapting Farming to Climate Variability” by Dr. Christine Jones provides a good overview of how range and agricultural soils sequester carbon and some of the results that can be achieved.

“The Deseret Ranch--Managing Rangelands for Wildlife and Livestock” provides an overview of the range management techniques employed on this world famous Utah ranch and the benefits they are generating.   These are the same techniques that could be employed on public lands to sequester carbon and produce a range of similar additional benefits.

Testimony Before Joint Utah Legislature Committee.  This testimony outlines the WCA proposal and suggests several things to legislature could do to encourage the federal government to demonstrate its potential.