Feds Want to Turn Tennessee Farmland into Forest

Oaks grow in the shade of fast-growing cottonwoods. (photo by Emile Gardiner)

A federal program is trying to convert Tennessee farmland into forest. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed a mix of trees that can still generate some income for farmers while also benefiting the environment.

 

The USDA found that 600 trees per acre – half cottonwoods and half hardwoods, like oaks – is the perfect recipe. The cottonwoods grow quickly and give the hardwoods some shade, keeping them from getting scorched in the summer sun. While the landowner waits decades to harvest the hardwoods, he can cut the cottonwoods three times and sell them to be burned to produce energy.

Forest Chief Tom Tidwell says this conversion program is meant for farmland that often floods along the Mississippi River.

“This is maybe a better use of their private land, to plant trees on it, not only for the economic benefits. But also the other benefits that come out of this is the carbon sequestration, the wildlife habitat.”

The farmer can actually make some extra money for capturing carbon, Tidwell says.

“If farmers are willing to enter into an agreement where they will keep these lands forested for at least 15 years or more, they can lease these lands out and they get a payment for the carbon that’s sequestered.”

A private conservation company called C2I would sell carbon offsets to companies that either want to – or are required to – make up for their green house gas emissions. C2I says cottonwoods – which can grow as much as 10 feet a year – absorb much more carbon than most trees.

Railroad giant Norfolk Southern signed a more than $5 million deal with the GreenTrees program earlier this summer to offset its carbon emissions. More than six million trees will be planted, converting 10,000 acres of delta farmland into forest.