Taking the show on the road

Today, I attended a carbon sequestration symposium at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE.  The Dukies were out in full force: Lydia Olander (Nicholas Institute) presented on how carbon offsets are created, measured and verified, Nick Dilks (Duke alum) talked about his investment group "Ecosystem Partners," and I presented on the results of a carbon footprint analysis I did for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources over the summer.  The man who orchestrated the Duke presence was Joel Dunn (MEM/MPP alum), who assisted in the planning of the symposium.  

People in attendance represented Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania state agencies, land conservation groups such as the Conservation Fund and Nature Conservancy, ecosystem service market firms, USFS and USDA, University of Maryland and Delaware, and many Chesapeake Bay affililated groups. The symposium hit it at some of the same issues at the Carbon Offsets symposium I attended last year at NCSU but went more in depth into carbon sequestration in agriculture.  Also, since the conference was focused on the Chesapeake Bay area, there was a lot of emphasis of co-benefits on water quality and carbon sequestration through forests and farmland sequestration.  

I'm currently in Annapolis, MD, where I spent this past summer.  I am hanging out until Thursday, where I was planning to present my results at the Governor's Sustainability Subcabinet.  Unfortunately, it was postponed last minute so I will have to wait for the next opportunity.