Forest Landowners\u27 Willingness to Sell Carbon Credits: A Pilot Study

Managing forests to sequester carbon is often mentioned as a strategy to address concerns about increasing levels of carbon dioxide and climate change. In Massachusetts and many other eastern states, most forest is owned by private families and individuals. Consequently, it is important to understand the factors that influence the likelihood of landowners choosing to sell sequestered carbon and participate in the carbon marketplace. Results from a recent small pilot study suggest landowners significantly favor higher payments, no withdrawal penalty, and, unexpectedly, longer time commitments. Importantly, at the current carbon price very few participants (less than 7 percent) would be willing to sell. Additional studies are being conducted with a larger sample to better understand how socioeconomic variables and ownership attitudes influence forest owners\u27 willingness to enroll in carbon markets