Top-Down and Bottom-up Approaches to Greenhouse Gas Inventory Methods

The Gen. Services Admin. (GSA) Carbon Footprint Tool (CFT) is an online tool built to utilize measured greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories to help Forest Service units streamline reporting and make informed decisions about operational efficiency. In FY 2013, the Forest Service Sustainable Operations GHG Tracking Team completed GHG inventories of 3 Forest Service units to compare top-down (national) and bottom-up (local) inventory reporting approaches. This report summarizes the top-down and bottom-up approaches to GHG inventories collected and data input into the GSA CFT for 3 pilot units: the Northern Research Station Institute for Applied Ecosystem Studies (Rhinelander, WI); the Stevensville Ranger District (Bitterroot National Forest, MN); and the Tongass National Forest (AK). Figures. This is a print on demand report.