How working forests can fight wildfire and floods – while slowing Climate Change

CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: California has set ambitious climate goals, including phasing out the use of fossil fuels and becoming carbon neutral by 2045. Our guest today is here to talk about the role nature can play in meeting those goals.

Laurie Wayburn is the co-founder and president of the Pacific Forest Trust and the chair of the California Natural and Working Lands Expert Advisory Committee. She was also the lead author of a recent report suggesting the state should invest “as much in nature-based climate solutions as it has in clean energy and transportation.” With proper forest management, California could capture 400 million tons of carbon each year, lower wildfire risk and vastly improve flood protection in the state. But, the $10 Billion price tag may be a hard sell in a down budget, even in climate-conscious California.

Plus – Who Had the Worst Week in CA Politics?

Episode Notes

1:13 AB 1757

2:39 Offsets

4:22 How to keep 400 million tons of carbon out of the atmosphere each year

6:05 “The older a tree is, the more carbon it stores”

6:31 “Working Forest”

8:03 Reducing wildfire risk

11:37 Federal lands vs. State lands

14:15 Easements, private ownership and beavers

19:06 Funding/costs

23:08 Origin story: how did you come to this work?

26:49 “That tree-hugging tree-cutting organization”

30:38 #WWCA Sore loser