Forestry and carbon topics of March 4 event

ATHOL — A presentation and discussion on the topic of “Forestry and Carbon: Science and Practice” will be held Wednesday, March 4.

The free public event will be held 6:30 p.m. at the Millers River Environmental Center, 100 Main St.

Paul Catanzaro, associate professor and State Extension forester at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, will discuss forest carbon. Catanzaro teaches courses in the forest ecology and conservation concentration and is co-director of the Family Forest Research Center, a partnership of the USDA Forest Service and UMass Amherst. His research and outreach work focuses primarily on legacy planning and forest resiliency.

The intent of his presentation is to help provide a better understanding of the role carbon plays within forests, the impacts of two land-use options on forest carbon — forest conversion and forest management — and trade-offs of these decisions. He will also provide specific carbon-informed forest management strategies to help maintain carbon storage if an active approach is taken. More details may be found in the publication he coauthored with Anthony D’Amato, of the University of Vermont, “Forest Carbon” (http://www.masswoods.org/carbon).

Sarah Wells, conservation director at Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, will share the approach of her organization to incorporating climate change resiliency into the long-term management of properties that Mount Grace owns.

Sponsors of the event are North Quabbin Energy, Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, and the Athol Bird and Nature Club. Refreshments will be served.