Presentations and Speaking Engagements
KAXE Tuesday Morning Show- Carbon Storage in Forest Products
June 10, 2022
As a guest on KAXE’s Tuesday Morning Show, I discussed my knowledge of carbon storage in wood products and the potential of mass timber products to mitigate global climate change. The net impact of forests as a renewable resource varies in relation to numerous factors, including forest management strategies, substitution factors, and the longevity of wood products.
In this interview I discuss my input on the current trends and innovation within wood products, which suggests an encouraging potential for the future of forest products and their role in climate change mitigation. A higher demand for wood products incentivizes more sustainable forest management and replanting, thus helping to offset global atmospheric carbon levels. Wood products are also promising in their potential to replace materials with higher carbon footprints, such as concrete or steal. Furthermore, wood products also allow for long-term carbon storage, especially in products with a long lifetime thus helping to keep reduce overall GHG levels. The use of wood products continues to become more versatile as innovative wood products, such as cross laminated timber or laminated veneer timber, have allowed for renewable forest products to be used more heavily in the building sector. Listen to or read the full interview below.
2022 Starker Lecture: How Forests- and Women in Forestry- will Save the World
April 20, 2022
This lecture was given as part of the 2022 Starker Lecture Series, Women of Forestry: inspiring leadership,” which focused on women who act as agents of change within the forestry and forest products sector as well as within their communities. The talk lays out an argument for why we need forests as a renewable resource and why we need to capitalize on the natural strengths of women. In doing so it weaves in personal stories, a deep dive into the biogenic carbon cycle, advice for all young folks in forestry.
Mass Timber Rising- The Promise of Mass Timber
2021
This series of videos was produced by the Oregon Department of Forestry to inform, educate, and develop a deeper understanding of mass timber construction, forests and solutions to climate change. Edie provides an overview of science and sustainability in the “sustainability” and “tall wood- low carbon” sections.
Panelist for "Climate Positive Forest Products in Mass Timber: Stakeholder Perspective on Barriers and Opportunities"
This event, convened by The Forest Dialogue and World Resources Institute, explored the perspectives on the implications of increased mass timber construction practices. This event focused on current and prospective initiatives to ensure future mass timber utilization avoids unintended consequences and yields positive outcomes for forests, people, and the climate. I shared my summary of the background paper and my perspectives for where some of the uncertainty gaps are already being addressed and where there are still fracture lines.
May 3, 2022
Moderator: Mass Timber Confrence's Fireside Chat
April 13, 2022
I moderated a session on ‘specifying and sourcing timber: is my [construction] project helping or hurting the forest?’ which aimed to foster an understanding of the many paths to sustainable forestry This panel consisted of forestry experts who explained sustainable forest management practices, forest health, and sustainability assurances from forest and fiber sourcing certifications to best management practices.
University of Washington Guest Lecturer
I Spoke in Dr. Sandor Toth's class, Forestry and Environmental Consulting. I shared my experiences throughout my career as a forestry consultant and gave my perspective on the pros and cons of starting my own consulting business.
February 17, 2022
Moderator/Panelist on People, Policy, and Popcorn panel on Sustainability in America’s Forests, SAF National Convention
With climate change, carbon, and sustainability at the forefront of public concerns and policy debates, it’s more important than ever to talk about how forest management and forest products help meet society’s goals now and in the future. This panel consisted of some of SAF’s Committee on Forest Policy and special guests for a panel discussion on current challenges, emerging tools, and opportunities for engagement regarding the sustainability of our nation’s forests.
November 6, 2021
Speaker, Leaders for the Built Environment
October 19, 2021
This virtual event highlighted leadership within the mass timber sector and addresses how investors and corporations can get involved through education and financing. I shared my knowledge on the role that the biogenic carbon cycle plays in global atmospheric carbon levels and the explained the ways that increased mass timber construction practices can allow for a savings in global warming potential.
Presenter at the Scoping Dialogue on Climate Positive Forest Products (CPFP)
April-May 2021
Presented my background paper, titled "Climate Benefits and Challenges Related to "Mass Timber" Construction, from frame to forests,” which set the stage for the scoping dialogue convened by The Forests Dialogue. This event aimed to facilitate collaboration and build an understanding and agreement amongst stakeholders around the opportunities, challenges, and knowledge gaps related to utilizing forest products as a climate change mitigation tool. The background paper intended to synthesize the current knowledge and research on the implications of mass timber on carbon stocks and climate and identify areas of broad disagreement to be discussed.
Presenter at Oregon Tree School webinar on Carbon in Oregon’s Managed Forests
March 16, 2021
Presented my research contributions to the report the 2020 report: Carbon in Oregon's Managed Forests. The chapters I authored aimed to summarize the potential of Oregon’s forest lands to reduce atmospheric carbon and mitigate climate change. Mitigation can be accomplished by implementing management strategies that will enhance forest health and resiliency and allow for the reduction of emissions and the increase of carbon sequestration. These chapters summarizes a variety of management strategies that will create and maintain healthy resilient forests in Oregon that will most effectively reduce atmospheric carbon.
University of Washington Guest Lecturer
March 9, 2021
I Spoke in Dr. Sandor Toth's class, Forestry and Environmental Consulting. I shared my experiences throughout my career as a forestry consultant and gave my perspective on the pros and cons of starting my own consulting business.
Speaker, Carbon Positive Reset's session on Procuring Climate Smart Mass Timber & Bamboo
September 8, 2020
This session aimed to address what designers need to know to successfully utilize mass timber and identify what alternative materials are available on the market. I spoke on the methods designers can use to extend carbon sequesteration through the use of sustainably managed wood products.
Speaker, Washington Tree Farm Program Fall Forestry Seminar
September 2, 2020
My presentation, titled “Overview of Forests and Forest Products as They Relate to Climate Policy in Washington State,” gives an synopsis of forests and forest products in relation to climate and policy strategies. This presentation further investigates programs and policies to incentivize small landowners to maintain forest lands for maximum carbon sequesteration.
Speaker, Wood and the Building Industry Seminar, Carbon Leadership Forum
June, 2020
The Wood Carbon Seminars aimed to summarize forest carbon dynamics and the practices used to harvest wood materials and manufacture wood products. This 8-part webinar series hosted by the Carbon Leadership Forum brought together wood experts to answer common and critical questions about the carbon impacts of wood from the building industry. My presentation gave a recap of the seminars, which were organized around four main categories: 1) Background and Basics, 2) LCA and Wood, 3) Tracking Carbon in North America, and 4) Wood and the Building Industry.
University of Washington Guest Lecturer
March 8, 2020
I Spoke in Dr. Sandor Toth's class, Forestry and Environmental Consulting. I shared my experiences throughout my career as a forestry consultant and gave my perspective on the pros and cons of starting my own consulting business.