What agricultural and forestry activities sequester carbon?
Soil conservation practices not only reduce soil erosion but also increase the organic matter content of soils. Principal conservation strategies which sequester carbon include converting marginal lands to compatible land use systems, restoring degraded soils, and adopting best management practices. For example, removing agriculturally marginal land from production and adopting an ecologically compatible land use, such as wildlife habitat, can lead to increases in total biomass production and an increase in carbon content in the soil. USDA programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), the Stewardship Incentive Program (SIP), Forestry Incentives Program (FIP) and the Secretary’s conservation buffer strip initiative all help increase soil organic carbon Also important are various strategies for sustainable management of the soil, such as: (1) conservation tillage: (2) management of crop residue and application of organic materials and manures
