What we're doing to minimize climate change Carbon Sequestration and Reforestation at Island Center Forest
A project to evaluate options for restoring vegetation to a drastically disturbed site in Island Center Forest on Vashon Island will begin in the summer of 2009. Soils on the site were "borrowed" for use as daily cover for the adjacent landfill, leaving behind a pit where the remaining soils are so degraded they cannot support a healthy ecosystem. The use of composted organic residuals will improve soil health and enhance vegetation growth. The long term objective for the site is to restore a healthy forest ecosystem.
The project will also be used to evaluate the potential for King County to use organic residuals to enhance soil carbon sequestration. Vegetation and soils are widely recognized as carbon storage sinks. Adding carbon to soils and enhancing growth of vegetation is known as terrestrial sequestration. Enhancing the natural processes that remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and store it in soils and vegetation is thought to be one of the most cost-effective ways of reducing atmospheric levels of CO2. Reforestation of degraded sites, such as borrow pits, offers a significant opportunity for maximizing carbon sequestration.
Island Center Forest
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