Qualitatively assessing trade-offs and co-benefits at local scales when considering carbon outcomes among other management goals
Using an oak savanna case study in southeastern Wisconsin, this work develops a flexible, qualitative framework for evaluating trade‑offs between carbon outcomes and other land‑management goals. The approach integrates knowledge co‑production, climate adaptation, and carbon stewardship to support practical, climate‑smart decision‑making.
Subject Tags
- Natural climate solutions
- Climate adaptation
- Land management
Abstract
Natural and working lands offer climate solutions through carbon uptake and storage, yet land managers increasingly must balance carbon outcomes with other management goals. This study develops and tests a flexible framework for qualitatively evaluating local‑scale trade‑offs, using an oak savanna in southeastern Wisconsin as a case study. Built on five guiding pillars, the framework supports rigorous assessment of interactions between carbon stewardship and broader ecological or management objectives, even where quantitative tools are limited. The findings emphasize how knowledge co‑production, climate adaptation, and carbon stewardship principles can be integrated to strengthen land‑management planning and guide practitioners working across diverse landscapes and goals.
Citation
Keller, A. B., Calhoun, A. L., Handler, S. D., Janowiak, M. K., Littlefield, C. E., & Miner, B. (2026). Qualitatively assessing trade‐offs and co‐benefits at local scales when considering carbon outcomes among other management goals. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 7(1), e70194.
TNC Authors
-
Ann L. Calhoun
Driftless Resilience & Climate Solutions Manager. Wisconsin
The Nature Conservancy
Email: acalhoun@tnc.org -
Brian Miner
Southeast Wisconsin Stewardship Coordinator. Wisconsin
The Nature Conservancy
Email: brian.miner@tnc.org