Hudson Carbon Update

by Ted Koch, Hudson Carbon

Merck Forest and Farmland Center and Hudson Carbon have partnered to conduct research into the value of forest ecosystems and develop methods to quantify clean air, clean water, and habitat for culturally and biologically significant plant and animal species that they provide. Using forest surveys and drone images taken throughout the year, HC aims to create a program that uses artificial intelligence to identify the species and physical characteristics of trees within the forest. By correlating these data sets with holistic evaluations of understory plant health and the locations of key bird species, researchers hope to enhance our understanding of the interactions between forest composition and overall ecosystem health.

Hudson Carbon has also installed water level monitoring stations within the forest along small stream branches to understand the relationships between trees and the soil in which they grow and how they can affect storm surges and water retention. This can help stewards predict the impact of management activities within the forest on downstream flooding and erosion as climate change impacts our weather systems, leading to greater swings between drought and flooding and testing the resilience of our natural and manmade systems here in the Northeast. Additionally, data from soil cores collected within the forest and on the farm will be paired with the tree identification data collected by UAV and a machine learning program to create a statistically rigorous map of above and below ground carbon storage, showing the climate benefits of preserving an ecosystem such as the one at MFFC’s.

Daniel Kauffman and Ted Koch are conducting this research. Hudson Carbon is an on-farm soil laboratory that studies how organic regenerative farming can maximize carbon capture and restore ecosystems. HC is excited to be applying their research methodologies to forestland at Merck Forest this year.