This paper examines the key issues surrounding the development and application of forest-based offset projects in the southern region of the United States and provides the Southern Group of State Foresters’ (SGSF) recommendations for how these issues should be addressed in federal climate policy, should legislation be enacted.

Over 1.5 billion metric tons of carbon is sequestered on Georgia timberland according to 2019 Forest Inventory & Analysis (FIA) data, provided by the U.S. Forest Service. This includes 23.2 million acres on federal, state/local, and private property. It accounts for carbon in aboveground and belowground live and dead biomass, aboveground and belowground understory vegetation, coarse woody debris, soil, and leaf litter. This estimate excludes timberland primarily consisting of exotic species and non-stocked stands (previously forested land that has yet to be replanted or produce substantial natural vegetation).

Full Academic Longleaf Stem Quality Publication – This publication provides full data sets observed during the inventorying process, as well as some additional observations not covered in the landowner version.

Overview of the project to protect the water supply for communities and businesses along the Savannah River in Georgia and South Carolina.