Forest carbon storage has declined across much of the Western U.S., likely due to drought, fire and climate change. Many Western forests could see a rapid acceleration of carbon loss in the coming years. Carbon stored in living trees declined across much of the Western US between 2005 and 2019. Dead carbon (carbon stored in dead trees and woody debris) increased. Standing dead trees and fallen logs don’t provide long-term carbon storage, instead releasing it back into the atmosphere through decomposition or combustion in forest fires.
www.caryinstitute.org/news-insights/press-release/forest-carbon-storage-has-declined-across-much-western-us-likely-due