GreyStone Power and the nine other electric membership cooperatives that are participating in Power4Georgians, in concert with the Carbon TreeBank, LLC, and Wells Timberland REIT, has announced plans for a scientifically-based carbon offset program to mitigate CO₂ in the environment using Georgia’s forests.

The “Keeping Forests in Forests” program will provide an opportunity for the 700,000 members of EMCs in the Power4Georgians consortium to offset a portion of their household carbon footprint for a monthly fee. The fee will be used to preserve forest land in Georgia – one of the state’s most important ecological resources – that might otherwise be cleared for development. Wells Timberland, a real estate investment company, will provide up to 50,000 acres of Georgia forests for the first three years of the program.

“We are truly pleased to be participating in this effort. It gives our members an opportunity to be part of a program that I believe will be one of the most innovative and environmentally responsible initiatives in the nation,” said GreyStone Power President/CEO Gary Miller. “By offering carbon offsets, we are taking an important step in assuring that a primary mission of our co-op, to be a responsible steward of the environment while providing reliable and affordable electricity, is met.”

As the state’s exploding population continues to increase demand for land that can be developed, Georgia forest land is shrinking. The “Keeping Forests in Forests” program seeks to provide economic incentives for landowners to maintain their land as managed forests – and benefit the state’s environment as a result.

Members of the coalition developing the “Keeping Forests in Forests” project say that the program will be distinguished by its solid scientific background and methodology. Much of the information used to develop the program is based on Duke University’s Forest-Atmosphere Carbon Transfer and Storage experiment, a U.S. Department of Energy-funded study begun in 1994 to measure the reaction of forests to elevated levels of atmospheric CO₂, a greenhouse gas.

With additional technical and scientific consultation from the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and Georgia Forestry Commission, Power4Georgians officials say the program’s sound methodology will provide a level of credibility and verifiability many feel are lacking from other carbon offset programs.

“This is not a program where you mail a check with the promise that your donation will support tree planting somewhere that you can’t verify or quantify,” said Dean Alford, spokesperson for Power4Georgians. ”Participants will know exactly what their money is supporting, where the trees are being managed, and the impact of those trees on carbon removal right here in Georgia. The science is very sound and credible and we believe that is a very important element of the ‘Keeping Forests in Forests’ program.”

The “Keeping Forests in Forests” program will initially be available only to members of GreyStone Power and nine other EMCs in the Power4Georgians consortium. However, the partner organizations hope the program will eventually be implemented statewide.

“Our initial project is just the first of many that we hope to facilitate,” said Earl Barrs, Carbon TreeBank LLC partner. “Besides being massive carbon sinks to mitigate carbon dioxide gases, Georgia’s forests provide other significant benefits such as clean water, abundant wildlife, recreational opportunities and jobs to Georgia’s citizens.”

EMCs involved in the Power4Georgians project include Washington EMC, Sandersville; Diverse Power, LaGrange; Jackson EMC, Jefferson; Excelsior EMC, Metter; Central Georgia EMC, Jackson; GreyStone Power, Douglasville; Pataula EMC, Cuthbert; Cobb EMC, Marietta; Snapping Shoals EMC, Covington; and Upson EMC, Thomaston.