Novel Carbon Dynamics Assessment Framework Reveals Climate Positive Land Management Approaches Across North America

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2026

School

Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences

Abstract

Natural climate solutions (NCS) can foster ecosystem resiliency and mitigate climate change. However, a gap exists between carbon cycle science and decision support systems. Bridging this gap can advance climate positive land management and promote the implementation of natural climate solutions. Here, we propose a novel framework to assess carbon dynamics to reveal management approaches for land cover at a 300 m resolution within which natural climate solutions can be more readily identified and applied. We use annual land cover change and model the associated carbon dynamics to categorize the sub-regional ecodistricts of Canada and the USA into the most effective NCS category based on its current change dynamics. Restoration NCS may be a useful strategy in the southern boreal forest, southeastern USA (Eastern Temperate Forest), and western Canadian Cordillera, while Protection NCS should be focused in the Great Plains and the far North. Specifically, we find that 9 % of ecodistricts, and 23 % of land area, would be best managed through protection-based nature climate solutions, while 27 % of ecodistricts, and 26 % of land area, should be managed using restoration climate solutions. This transferable framework can be used to target the sub-regional implementation of different NCS strategies based on local-level land cover changes and carbon dynamics.

Publication Title

Land Use Policy

Volume

162

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