2026: Live Carbon Removal Demonstration at Cornell University (Momentum) (AMRO)
Burying woody debris offers a promising approach to Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) because it is highly effective, low-cost, and more sustainable than most other carbon removal strategies. Research suggests this method can store Carbon for long periods while preventing the release of Carbon Dioxide that would occur through decomposition. Cornell University may generate enough woody debris annually to offset its own carbon emissions, creating an opportunity to demonstrate large-scale climate benefits on campus. This two-year project will establish a live wood burial, or “wood vault,” demonstration. Researchers will measure soil gases, temperature, moisture, and greenhouse gas emissions to compare sites with and without buried wood. The goal is to quantify net carbon removal and evaluate the method’s potential for climate mitigation.
Cornell: Yiqi Luo and Lifen Jiang (both Cornell CALS / SIPS / Soil and Crop Sciences)
AMRO Forestry: Artem Treyger
High-Level Climate Champions: Christopher Neidl
Cornell Campus Sustainability Office: Meredith Rutherford