Montana ranch buries dead trees to lock away climate pollution - Climate Connections

Summary2 min read

Climate Connections: Montana Ranch Buries Dead Trees to Lock Away Climate Pollution

Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz
Guest: Grant Canary, CEO of Mass Reforestation
Date: March 27, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on an innovative approach to reducing climate pollution after devastating wildfires. Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz shares the story of Rebecca Gentry's Montana ranch, where traditional tree disposal methods are replaced by a new technique: burying dead trees to lock away carbon and prevent CO2 emissions.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Aftermath of the Wildfire

[00:01] Five years ago, Rebecca Gentry’s ranch in Montana was ravaged by wildfire, leaving behind “tens of thousands of dead scorched trees.”
Common land management usually involves clearing dead trees and burning them to avoid dangers to people and animals, which unleashes CO2 stored in the trees.

The Carbon Impact of Traditional Practices

Traditional burning of dead trees releases the CO2 those trees captured over decades, contributing to climate change.
- Anthony Leiserowitz [00:19]:
  "But that releases the climate warming CO2 the trees absorbed as they grew,"

A Novel Solution: Subterranean Wood Vaults

[00:36] Grant Canary of Mass Reforestation collaborated with Gentry to undertake a new approach:
- Dug a 20-foot-deep pit, “buried millions of pounds of dead trees,” and capped the pit with fabric, gravel, and soil.
- The surface is replanted with native grasses for cattle grazing, allowing continued agricultural use.
Scientific backing: Burying wood deep underground slows decomposition, effectively trapping carbon.

Long-Term Climate Benefits

Grant Canary [00:59]:
"In the right conditions, the carbon is locked into the soil for hundreds, if not thousands of years, taking advantage of all the hard work that the trees did over decades to remove that carbon from the atmosphere."
On-site monitoring will ensure the vault's effectiveness in sequestering carbon emissions over the long term.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

Leiserowitz [00:19]:
“But that releases the climate warming CO2 the trees absorbed as they grew,”
—On the unintended consequences of burning dead trees.
Canary [00:59]:
“In the right conditions, the carbon is locked into the soil for hundreds, if not thousands of years…”
—On the potential longevity of buried carbon and the innovative opportunity it presents.

Timestamps for Important Segments

00:01 — Wildfire aftermath and traditional cleanup methods
00:36 — Introduction of the Mass Reforestation solution
00:59 — Explanation of long-term carbon sequestration benefits
01:12 — Ongoing monitoring and the future of the vault

Summary

In just ninety seconds, this episode spotlights how innovative land management—specifically, burying rather than burning dead trees—can help ranchers lock away climate pollution after wildfires. By sealing the carbon that trees have absorbed underground, rather than letting it escape back into the atmosphere, Mass Reforestation and forward-thinking ranchers like Rebecca Gentry are demonstrating a sustainable, climate-positive path for fire recovery.

For more climate stories:
climateconnections.org

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Transcript5 lines

[00:02]
A
I'm Dr. Anthony Liesiewicz, and this is Climate Connections. Five years ago, a wildfire tore through Rebecca Gentry's Montana ranch, leaving tens of thousands of dead scorched trees in its wake. In situations like this, landowners sometimes clean up pasture land by cutting the dead standing trees, piling them up, and burning them so they don't fall and hurt people or animals. But that releases the climate warming CO2 the trees absorbed as they grew,
[00:32]
B
and that's what we want to help landowners avoid.
[00:36]
A
Grant Canary is CEO of the company Mass Reforestation, which worked with Gentry on a different solution. They dug a pit about 20ft deep, buried millions of pounds of dead trees, and capped the vault with fabric, gravel, and soil. Then they replanted the ground above with native grasses for grazing cattle. Research shows that burying wood underground can slow its decomposition.
[01:00]
B
In the right conditions, the carbon is locked into the soil for hundreds, if not thousands of years, taking advantage of all the hard work that the trees did over decades to remove that carbon from the atmosphere.
[01:12]
A
At the Montana ranch, the vault will be closely monitored to ensure that it's locking away global warming emissions long term. Climate Connections is produced by the Yale center for Environmental Communication. To learn more about climate change, visit climateconnections.org.