Carbon Stock and Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (23 December 2021) | Viewed by 27882

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
Interests: forest ecosystems; eco-hydrology; forest landscape restoration; climate change and forest resilience; multifunctional forest management
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Guest Editor
Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
Interests: subtropical forests; forest plantation management; C and N cycling; mycorrhizal associations; land use
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Guest Editor
Department of Renewable Resources, Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E3, Canada
Interests: forest soils; soil nutrient cycling and plant nutrition and the application of soil science in land reclamation, agriculture, forestry and rangeland management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

You are kindly invited to submit your research article to the Special Issue of “Carbon Stock and Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems”. Forest ecosystems play a vital role in global climate change mitigation and adaptation through carbon sequestration from the atmosphere. However, there are still large spatial and temporial variabilities in forest carbon stock and sequestration, in particular in the context of global climate changes, such as warming, drought, and nitrogen deposition. In addition, artificial plantations and management practices also affect the carbon stock and carbon sequestration in forest ecosytems. Under the global goals of reaching peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality in the next few decades, the role of forest carbon stock and sequestration are emphasized, and its potential contribution ought to be asessed. We kindly invite you contribute any of your work that focuses on subjects including, but not limited to, the following: forest management practices and silvicultural treatments affecting ecosystem carbon stock and sequestration, from belowground to aboveground or the whole ecosytem; the responses of critical ecological processes (e.g., biodiversity, carbon and nutrient cycling) and their interactions with other environmental or human disturbances; practical sustainable forest management strategies developed from scientific experiemntal studies or the synthesis of data from published papers, e.g., meta-analyses.

This Special Issue will cover a wide range of topics in relation to ecosytem carbon sequestration and its variabilities, and the responses of carbon sequestration to management, disturbances, etc. This is highly relevant to policy-makers in making decisions about sustainable forest management under changing climatic conditions and human disturbances.

Prof. Dr. Shirong Liu
Prof. Dr. Wenhua Xiang
Prof. Dr. Scott Chang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • carbon stock and sequestration
  • climate change
  • forest management

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2199 KiB  
Article
The Missing Limb: Including Impacts of Biomass Extraction on Forest Carbon Stocks in Greenhouse Gas Balances of Wood Use
by Horst Fehrenbach, Mascha Bischoff, Hannes Böttcher, Judith Reise and Klaus Josef Hennenberg
Forests 2022, 13(3), 365; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13030365 - 22 Feb 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4071
Abstract
The global carbon neutrality challenge places a spotlight on forests as carbon sinks. However, greenhouse gas (GHG) balances of wood for material and energy use often reveal GHG emission savings in comparison with a non-wood reference. Is it thus better to increase wood [...] Read more.
The global carbon neutrality challenge places a spotlight on forests as carbon sinks. However, greenhouse gas (GHG) balances of wood for material and energy use often reveal GHG emission savings in comparison with a non-wood reference. Is it thus better to increase wood production and use, or to conserve and expand the carbon stock in forests? GHG balances of wood products mostly ignore the dynamics of carbon storage in forests, which can be expressed as the carbon storage balance in forests (CSBF). For Germany, a CSBF of 0.25 to 1.15 t CO2-eq. m−3 wood can be assumed. When the CSBF is integrated into the GHG balance, GHG mitigation substantially deteriorates and wood products may even turn into a GHG source, e.g., in the case of energy wood. In such cases, building up forest carbon stocks would be the better option. We conclude that it is vital to include the CSBF in GHG balances of wood products to assess the impacts of wood extraction from forests. Only then can GHG balances provide political decision makers and stakeholders in the wood sector with a complete picture of GHG emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Stock and Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems)
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12 pages, 1808 KiB  
Article
Effects of Climate Change on the Carbon Sequestration Potential of Forest Vegetation in Yunnan Province, Southwest China
by Ruiwu Zhou, Yiping Zhang, Mingchun Peng, Yanqiang Jin and Qinghai Song
Forests 2022, 13(2), 306; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13020306 - 13 Feb 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2910
Abstract
Ongoing climate changes reportedly affect the potential distribution and carbon sequestration potential (CSP) of forest vegetation. The combined effects of increasing temperature and decreasing precipitation on these features of forest vegetation are poorly understood. In this study, classification and regression tree (CART) models [...] Read more.
Ongoing climate changes reportedly affect the potential distribution and carbon sequestration potential (CSP) of forest vegetation. The combined effects of increasing temperature and decreasing precipitation on these features of forest vegetation are poorly understood. In this study, classification and regression tree (CART) models were used to predict the potential distribution and estimate the CSP of forest vegetation in Yunnan Province, Southwest China, under different simulation scenarios. The minimum temperature of the coldest month (TMW) was the main factor limiting the suitable habitat of all forest vegetation types except for warm–temperate coniferous (WTC) forests. When the temperature increased by 1 °C and the precipitation decreased by 20%, the potential distribution area of the 7 forest vegetation types decreased by 12.41% overall. The potential distribution of WTC forests was the least sensitive to temperature increases and precipitation decreases. The CSP of vegetation was higher (1187.69 TgC) under the constant temperature and 10% precipitation decrease scenario than the CSP of vegetation under the 2 °C temperature increase and constant precipitation scenario (647.24 TgC). Specifically, the highest CSP (1337.88 TgC) was observed under the 1 °C temperature increase and 10% precipitation decrease scenario, and the lowest (617.91 TgC) occurred under the constant temperature and 20% precipitation decrease scenario. In summary, the forest vegetation in Yunnan Province has a high CSP under climate change, and the combined effect of increased temperature and decreased precipitation can increase the CSP of forest vegetation in Yunnan Province. This finding is important for improving scientific decision making and policy planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Stock and Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems)
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15 pages, 2405 KiB  
Article
Contribution of Community-Managed Sal-Based Forest in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation: A Case from Nepal
by Sushila Rijal, Sutinee Sinutok, Kuaanan Techato, Popular Gentle, Uttam Khanal and Saroj Gyawali
Forests 2022, 13(2), 262; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13020262 - 07 Feb 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2807
Abstract
Forests are viable tools in combating the impacts of climate change, as they are capable of sequestering atmospheric carbon and storing it in different pools. This study aimed to examine the carbon sequestration potential of community-managed Shorea robusta (Sal) forest and assess the [...] Read more.
Forests are viable tools in combating the impacts of climate change, as they are capable of sequestering atmospheric carbon and storing it in different pools. This study aimed to examine the carbon sequestration potential of community-managed Shorea robusta (Sal) forest and assess the practices that have the potential to reduce adverse climate change impacts, thereby improving the livelihoods of forest-based communities. For this, we obtained forest inventory-derived carbon data from 11 sample plots of Shorea robusta (Sal) forest, analyzed them using allometric equations, and estimated the carbon storage and climate change mitigation potential of these forests, while focus group discussions and desk review of secondary information were employed to investigate the adaptation potential. The results show that the estimated biomass density of the selected forest is 352.46 ± 63.79 t/ha, whereas the carbon stock density is 165.66 ± 29.98 t/ha and the CO2 equivalent is 598.07 ± 110.48 t/ha. The study further revealed that community forest management, as a successful model of participatory forest management and community forest user group (CFUG) as a resourceful local institution, has been playing an important role in the diversification of livelihoods and income opportunities, social cohesion and thus climate change adaptation through collective actions. The adaptation and mitigation of climate change impacts have been prioritized in the operational plans of the CFUGs. Through the promotion and prioritization of alternative energy, agroforestry and enhanced livelihood options, the CFUGs are committed to the sustainable management of forest resources and to enhancing the livelihoods of local communities. This study indicates the relevance of community forests as a priority institution for the implementation of Local Adaptation Plans for Action (LAPA) and support National Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA) to combat climatic impacts, providing important information for planners and policy makers in Nepal and elsewhere. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Stock and Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems)
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26 pages, 5432 KiB  
Article
Mitigation Potential of Ecosystem-Based Forest Management under Climate Change: A Case Study in the Boreal-Temperate Forest Ecotone
by Gabriel Landry, Evelyne Thiffault, Dominic Cyr, Lucas Moreau, Yan Boulanger and Caren Dymond
Forests 2021, 12(12), 1667; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12121667 - 30 Nov 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3415
Abstract
The forest sector can help reduce atmospheric CO2 through carbon (C) sequestration and storage and wood substitution of more polluting materials. However, climate change can have an impact on the C fluxes we are trying to leverage through forestry. We calculated the [...] Read more.
The forest sector can help reduce atmospheric CO2 through carbon (C) sequestration and storage and wood substitution of more polluting materials. However, climate change can have an impact on the C fluxes we are trying to leverage through forestry. We calculated the difference in CO2 eq. fluxes between ecosystem-based forest management and total forest conservation in the context of the temperate-boreal forest ecotone of Quebec (Canada), taking into account fluxes from forest ecosystems, wood product life cycle, and the substitution effect of wood products on markets. Over the 2020–2120 period, in the absence of climate change, ecosystem-based forest management and wood production caused average net annual emissions of 66.9 kilotonnes (kt) of CO2 eq. year−1 (relative to forest conservation), and 15.4 kt of CO2 eq. year−1 when assuming a 100% substitution effect of wood products. While management increased the ecosystem C sink, emissions from degradation of largely short-lived wood products caused the system to be a net source. Moreover, climate warming would decrease the capacity of ecosystems to sequester C and cause a shift towards more hardwood species. Our study highlights the need to adapt the industrial network towards an increased capacity of processing hardwoods into long-lived products and/or products with high substitution potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Stock and Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems)
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18 pages, 3477 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Effects of Thinning on Cunninghamia lanceolata Lamb. Carbon Allocation in Southwestern China Using a Process-Based Model
by Hao Yang, Ziyan Liao, Angang Ming and Ning Miao
Forests 2021, 12(11), 1590; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12111590 - 18 Nov 2021
Viewed by 1620
Abstract
We investigated the effects of thinning intensity on the carbon allocation of Cunninghamia lanceolata Lamb. Hook by analyzing the stand growth and carbon content of a plantation under three thinning intensities (I: 70%; II: 50%; III: 30%) and with no thinning treatment. Using [...] Read more.
We investigated the effects of thinning intensity on the carbon allocation of Cunninghamia lanceolata Lamb. Hook by analyzing the stand growth and carbon content of a plantation under three thinning intensities (I: 70%; II: 50%; III: 30%) and with no thinning treatment. Using the carbon balance framework of the CROwn BASe (CROBAS) model and multi-source inventory data, we calibrated the parameters of the CROBAS-C. lanceolata (CROBAS-CL) model to simulate the carbon content in the plantation. We validated the CROBAS-CL model by comparing the predicted stand diameter at breast height (DBH) and stand height (H) with the measured values. Finally, the predicted stand carbon was compared with the soil carbon to assess the dynamics and allocation of ecosystem carbon content. Overall, our findings suggest that the predicted stand carbon of CROBAS-CL satisfies the statistical test requirements: the deviation of height and DBH predicted by the CROBAS-CL model from the measured height and DBH are less than 0.087 m and 0.165 cm, respectively. These results confirm that the model is useful for a dynamic prediction of stand carbon in C. lanceolata plantations. Based on the results of the proposed model, we determine that Thinning III (30% thinning intensity) is beneficial for the growth of C. lanceolata plantations and improving soil carbon sequestration. Additionally, the simulated carbon storage of an individual tree in the C. lanceolata plantation gradually increased with the tree age. Our study provides a strong reference for the efficient operation and management of C. lanceolata plantations in southwestern China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Stock and Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems)
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14 pages, 4305 KiB  
Article
Decoupling the Effect of Climate and Land-Use Changes on Carbon Sequestration of Vegetation in Mideast Hunan Province, China
by Cong Liu, Zelin Liu, Binggeng Xie, Yuan Liang, Xiaoqing Li and Kaichun Zhou
Forests 2021, 12(11), 1573; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12111573 - 16 Nov 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1697
Abstract
Urbanization and global climate change are two important global environmental phenomena in the 21st century. Human activities and climate changes usually increase the uncertainties of the ecosystem functions and structures and can greatly affect regional landscape patterns and the carbon cycle. Consequently, it [...] Read more.
Urbanization and global climate change are two important global environmental phenomena in the 21st century. Human activities and climate changes usually increase the uncertainties of the ecosystem functions and structures and can greatly affect regional landscape patterns and the carbon cycle. Consequently, it is critical to understand how various climate and land-use changes influence the carbon dynamics at a regional scale. In this study, we quantitatively analyzed the spatial and temporal changes of net primary productivity (NPP) and the effects of climate factors and human disturbance factors (i.e., land-use changes) on the “Chang–Zhu–Tan” (CZT) urban agglomeration region from 2000 to 2015. The Carnegie–Ames–Stanford Approach (CASA) model was combined with spatially explicit land-use maps, monthly climate data, and MODIS NDVI images to simulate the carbon dynamics in the CZT area. Based on our six different scenarios, we also analyzed the relative roles of climate change and land-use change in total production. Our results indicated that the annual NPP of the study area maintained an upward trend by 7.31 gC•m−2•yr−1 between 2000 and 2015. At the same time, the average annual NPP was 628.99 gC•m−2 in the CZT area. We also found that the NPP was lower in the middle of the north region than in others. In addition, land-use changes could contribute to a positive effect on the total production in the study area by 3.42 T gC. Meanwhile, the effect of climate changes on the total production amounted to −1.44 T gC in the same region and period. Temperature and precipitation had negative effects on carbon sequestration from 2000 to 2015. As forest land constituted over 62.60% of the total land use from 2000 to 2015, the negative effect of carbon sequestration caused by urbanization could be ignored in the CZT area. Although climate and land-use changes had simultaneously positive and negative effects during the period 2000–2015, prioritizing the protection of existing forest land could contribute to increasing carbon sequestration and storage at the regional scale. Our study assists in understanding the impact of climate changes and land-use changes on carbon sequestration while providing a scientific basis for the rational and effective protection of the ecological environment in mid-east Hunan Province, China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Stock and Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems)
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24 pages, 2950 KiB  
Article
Effect of Charcoal on the Properties, Enzyme Activities and Microbial Diversity of Temperate Pine Forest Soils
by Jarosław Lasota, Ewa Błońska, Tomasz Babiak, Wojciech Piaszczyk, Hanna Stępniewska, Robert Jankowiak, Piotr Boroń and Anna Lenart-Boroń
Forests 2021, 12(11), 1488; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12111488 - 29 Oct 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2198
Abstract
Relict charcoal hearths (RCHs) increases soil fertility in forest ecosystems. However, the effects of RCHs on the activity and abundance of soil microorganisms remain unknown. In this paper, we analysed the impact of relict charcoal production on the soil enzymatic activity and composition [...] Read more.
Relict charcoal hearths (RCHs) increases soil fertility in forest ecosystems. However, the effects of RCHs on the activity and abundance of soil microorganisms remain unknown. In this paper, we analysed the impact of relict charcoal production on the soil enzymatic activity and composition of soil bacterial and fungal communities in Scots pine forests of the Manowo Forest District in northern Poland. Moreover, we determined the effect of relict charcoal production on the soil properties. Our research was conducted by comparing the physical, chemical, enzymatic and microbiological properties of charcoal-enriched and charcoal-free soils. Significant differences in physical properties were found between these two soil types in terms of their structure and water holding capacity. As expected, horizons enriched with charcoal were characterised by a significantly higher organic carbon content (4.7% on average compared to 2.2% in control horizons), and also by a considerably higher content of available phosphorus (an average of 64.07 mg·kg−1 compared to 36.21 mg·kg−1 in the control). Similarly, RCH horizons displayed a higher pH and higher contents of Ca and Na cations. These results indicated that RCH soils provided more favourable conditions for the soil microbiome, as reflected by the higher enzymatic activity and diversity of the microorganisms. Moreover, bacterial and fungal communities in RCH soils were more diverse and had greater species/genera richness, especially in the case of fungi. Members of the genus Rhodoplanes dominated the bacterial community at both RCH and non-RCH sites, followed by Streptomyces, Burkholderia, Skermanella, Tsukamurella and Candidatus Solibacter. Both culture- and next generation sequencing (NGS)-based analyses showed that soil fungal communities were dominated by Ascomycota, with Penicillium as the most abundant genus. Our results showed that hearth soils may represent a significant C pool in the forest ecosystem. This study supports the strategy of safeguarding such charcoal-enriched soils as precious C reservoirs and ecologically important biodiversity hotspots. Moreover, the application of charcoal may effectively increase the microbial diversity of forest soils, especially during the reforestation or re-cultivation of disturbed habitats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Stock and Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems)
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17 pages, 4092 KiB  
Article
Prediction of the Carbon Content of Six Tree Species from Visible-Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
by Yongbin Meng, Yuanyuan Zhang, Chunxu Li, Jinghan Zhao, Zichun Wang, Chen Wang and Yaoxiang Li
Forests 2021, 12(9), 1233; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12091233 - 10 Sep 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2341
Abstract
This study aimed to measure the carbon content of tree species rapidly and accurately using visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy coupled with chemometric methods. Currently, the carbon content of trees used for calculating the carbon storage of forest trees in the study of [...] Read more.
This study aimed to measure the carbon content of tree species rapidly and accurately using visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy coupled with chemometric methods. Currently, the carbon content of trees used for calculating the carbon storage of forest trees in the study of carbon sequestration is obtained by two methods. One involves measuring carbon content in the laboratory (K2CrO7-H2SO4 oxidation method or elemental analyzer), and another involves directly using the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) default carbon content of 0.45 or 0.5. The former method is destructive, time-consuming, and expensive, while the latter is subjective. However, Vis-NIR detection technology can avoid these shortcomings and rapidly determine carbon content. In this study, 96 increment core samples were collected from six tree species in the Heilongjiang province of China for analysis. The spectral data were preprocessed using seven methods, including extended multiplicative scatter correction (EMSC), first derivative (1D), second derivative (2D), baseline correction, de-trend, orthogonal signal correction (OSC), and normalization to eliminate baseline drifting and noise, as well as to enhance the model quality. Linear models were established from the spectra using partial least squares regression (PLS). At the same time, we also compared the effects of full-spectrum and reduced spectrum on the model’s performance. The results showed that the spectral data processed by 1D with the full spectrum could obtain a better prediction model. The 1D method yielded the highest R2c of 0.92, an RMSEC (root-mean-square error of calibration) of 0.0056, an R2p of 0.99, an RMSEP (root-mean-square error of prediction) of 0.0020, and the highest RPD (residual prediction deviation) value of 8.9. The results demonstrate the feasibility of Vis-NIR spectroscopy coupled with chemometric methods in determining the carbon content of tree species as a simple, rapid, and non-destructive method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Stock and Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems)
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17 pages, 5972 KiB  
Article
Warming Increases the Carbon Sequestration Capacity of Picea schrenkiana in the Tianshan Mountains, China
by Honghua Zhou, Yaning Chen, Chenggang Zhu, Yapeng Chen, Yuhai Yang, Weihong Li and Shifeng Chen
Forests 2021, 12(8), 1066; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12081066 - 10 Aug 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2571
Abstract
As an essential part of terrestrial ecosystems, convenient and accurate reconstruction of the past carbon sequestration capacity of forests is critical to assess future trends of aboveground carbon storage and ecosystem carbon cycles. In addition, the relationship between climate change and carbon sequestration [...] Read more.
As an essential part of terrestrial ecosystems, convenient and accurate reconstruction of the past carbon sequestration capacity of forests is critical to assess future trends of aboveground carbon storage and ecosystem carbon cycles. In addition, the relationship between climate change and carbon sequestration of forests has been vigorously debated. In this study, dynamic change of carbon sequestration capacity in aboveground biomass of Picea schrenkiana (hereinafter abbreviated as P. schrenkiana) in the Tianshan Mountains, northwestern China, from 1850–2017, were reconstructed using dendrochronology. The main climate drivers that affected carbon sequestration capacity in aboveground biomass of P. schrenkiana were then investigated. The results showed that: (1) tree-ring width and diameter at breast height (DBH) of P. schrenkiana obtained from different altitudes and ages were an effective and convenient estimation index for reconstructing the carbon sequestration capacity of P. schrenkiana. The carbon storage of P. schrenkiana forest in 2016 in the Tianshan Mountains was 50.08 Tg C calculated using tree-ring width and DBH, which was very close to the value determined by direct field investigation data. (2) The annual carbon sequestration potential capacity of P. schrenkiana exhibited an increasing trend from 1850–2017. Temperature, especially minimum temperature, constituted the key climatic driver resulting in increased carbon sequestration capacity. The contribution rates of temperature and minimum temperature to the change of P. schrenkiana carbon sequestration capacity was 75% and 44%, respectively. (3) The significant increase of winter temperature and minimum temperature led to warming in the Tianshan Mountains, resulting in a significant increase in carbon sequestration capacity of P. schrenkiana. The results indicate that, with the continuous increase of winter temperature and minimum temperature, carbon sequestration of P. schrenkiana in the Tianshan Mountains is predicted to increase markedly in the future. The findings of this study provide a useful basis to evaluate future aboveground carbon storage and carbon cycles in mountain systems possessed similar characteristics of the Tianshan Mountains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Stock and Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems)
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15 pages, 3853 KiB  
Article
Net Revenue of Forest Carbon Offset Projects: Application of the Korean Emission Trading System in the Forestry Sector
by Heesung Woo, Mauricio Acuna, Byoungkoo Choi and Joonsoon Kim
Forests 2021, 12(6), 742; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12060742 - 04 Jun 2021
Viewed by 2106
Abstract
Under the Korean Emission Trading System in The Forestry Sector (KETSF) initiative, the Korean government has developed several greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction programs that include forestry activities as cornerstones of the initiative. Forest management is deemed to be a major strategy to [...] Read more.
Under the Korean Emission Trading System in The Forestry Sector (KETSF) initiative, the Korean government has developed several greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction programs that include forestry activities as cornerstones of the initiative. Forest management is deemed to be a major strategy to implement KETSF; this has been confirmed by most participants in the program, who have shown their preference for forest management projects as the most effective and encouraging strategy to participate in the KETSF program. For a successful implementation of KETSF projects, it is essential to explore methods that optimize the positive impacts of such strategies, thereby maximizing the economic returns and carbon stocks that result from the implementation of forest management activities. Thus, this study investigated the economic returns of several KETSF projects in Korea, which included simulated scenarios under two main forest management strategies, one based on an extension of the rotation age, and a second one based on reforestation with new species. Five forest management scenarios were examined and evaluated in their ability to maximize carbon stocks and economic returns. Based on the results, two scenarios were identified as the best KETSF projects in terms of carbon stock increments. Additionally, the results indicated that projects including reforestation with new species added more economic value than projects that considered an extension of the rotation age. The study also revealed that KETSF projects generated revenue in both scenarios, by either extending the rotation age or by implementing reforestation with new species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Stock and Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems)
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