Afforestation and reforestation with the clean development mechanism: Potentials, problems, and future directions

Razak, Sarah Abdul; Son, Yow Han; Lee, Woo‐Kyun; Cho, Yong Sung; Noh, Nam Jin

doi:10.1080/21580103.2009.9656347

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…What can help accelerate live-tree sequestration of carbon stocks in forests and the accumulation of carbon in soils is increasing forest area [8,9]. Not surprisingly, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) introduced with the Kyoto Protocol focuses on land management and prioritizes afforestation and reforestation projects [10]. Afforestation involves planting trees where previously there have been none, or where forests have been missing for a long time (50 years according to UNFCCC) [11], while reforestation applies to more recently deforested land [11].…”

Section: Introduction 21 Mitigating Climate Change With Reforestationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Afforestation involves planting trees where previously there have been none, or where forests have been missing for a long time (50 years according to UNFCCC) [11], while reforestation applies to more recently deforested land [11]. The potential sites that have been identified for the projects' implementation are pasture lands, mountainous areas, landfills and mined lands [10]. Yet, afforestation and reforestation may have counteractive effects on biodiversity, but the long term consequences of afforestation and reforestation remain poorly understood.…”

Section: Introduction 21 Mitigating Climate Change With Reforestationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impact of Spruce Plantation on Plant Diversity

Manuzi,

Balestra,

Gatti

et al. 2024

Preprint

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1AbstractAs the effects of climate change are becoming more evident, different countries around the world are adopting new policies to intervene on the regulation of greenhouse gasses emission. Recent frameworks acknowledge the potential contribution that forest ecosystems can give to carbon sequestration. These are indicating reforestation programmes as effective climate change mitigation options. Yet, there are possibilities that reforestation may have counteractive effects on biodiversity. However the long term consequences of reforestation for biodiversity are poorly understood.Reforestation policies have already been widely implemented around the world. For instance, in northern Italy and central Europe plantations of spruce trees (Picea abies) have been highly promoted during the last century. The objective of our research is to address the long term consequences of reforestation by answering the following questions. What is the spruce plantation’s impact on plant diversity? Does the spruce plantation impact environmental factors like luminosity and ground surface temperature and do these environmental factors affect plant diversity? We hypothesize that the spruce plantation causes a reduction of plant diversity. Indeed, we expect that the spruce plantation affects different environmental factors that have an important role in determining plant composition and abundance.To answer our research questions, we have conducted a study in two different sites of the Como Prealps. The potential vegetation of the selected area is represented by mixed forests of deciduous trees dominated by beech trees (Fagus sylvatica). Historically, the land has also been used for grazing and mowing. However, some stands of the potential vegetation are here replaced by spruce plantations, the presence of which is linked to national forestry policies of the twentieth century. For our research we have conducted a total of 100 vegetation surveys to collect data on plant diversity and environmental factors, namely luminosity and ground surface temperature. We then compared plant diversity among land-use treatments (i.e., habitat types): the spruce plantation, the natural mixed forest and the semi-natural grassland-pasture. For our analysis we have used linear regression models to test the impact of the different habitat types on plant diversity. We have also measured covariance and correlation to analyse the relationship between the environmental factors and plant diversity.The analysis on plant diversity reveals the long-lasting impact of spruce monoculture plantation on plant diversity. The number of plant species decreases by 57percent from the grassland-pasture to the spruce plantation and by 41percent compared to the natural mixed forest. Likewise, the diversity of plant functional forms decreases in the spruce plantation as compared to mixed forests and grassland-pasture. At last, although luminosity and ground surface temperature do not vary from the mixed forest to the spruce plantation, we have measured a positive relationship between the number of plant species and the two environmental parameters.Our research provides novel evidence that the spruce plantation negatively impacts plant diversity still one hundred years after. As biodiversity loss and climate change are two interwoven processes, they must not be treated separately. For what concerns future reforestation programmes, we recommend that they include biodiversity-friendly measures and address win-win solutions, for their effectiveness in climate change mitigation would otherwise be compromised.

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Section: Introduction 21 Mitigating Climate Change With Reforestationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introduction 21 Mitigating Climate Change With Reforestationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Spruce Plantation on Plant Diversity

Manuzi,

Balestra,

Gatti

et al. 2024

Preprint

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“…While much attention has been focused on the carbon (C) sequestration by growing trees, little attention has been paid to the environmental tradeoffs that are associated with these activities [ 8 ]. Most of the programs through afforestation, reforestation, and avoided deforestation have mainly focused on increasing the storage of aboveground biomass (C) [ 9 , 10 ], without adequately considering soil organic carbon (SOC), even though it can constitute a large fraction of the total C stock [ 11 , 12 ]. Therefore, there is a growing demand to accurately estimate soil carbon stocks [ 13 ] such as páramo soils to evaluate their role as carbon stores.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of pine plantations on carbon stocks of páramo sites in southern Ecuador

Dahik

Crespo

Stimm

et al. 2021

Carbon Balance Manage

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Background Since the 1990’s, afforestation programs in the páramo have been implemented to offset carbon emissions through carbon sequestration, mainly using pine plantations. However, several studies have indicated that after the establishment of pine plantations in grasslands, there is an alteration of carbon pools including a decrease of the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of the establishment of pine plantations on the carbon stocks in different altitudes of the páramo ecosystem of South Ecuador. Results At seven locations within an elevational gradient from 2780 to 3760 m a.s.l., we measured and compared carbon stocks of three types of land use: natural grassland, grazed páramo, and Pinus patula Schlltdl. & Cham. plantation sites. For a more accurate estimation of pine tree carbon, we developed our own allometric equations. There were significant (p < 0.05) differences between the amounts of carbon stored in the carbon pools aboveground and belowground for the three types of land use. In most of the locations, pine plantations revealed the highest amounts of aboveground and belowground carbon (55.4 and 6.9 tC/ha) followed by natural grassland (23.1 and 2.7 tC/ha) and grazed páramo sites (9.1 and 1.5 tC/ha). Concerning the SOC pools, most of the locations revealed significant lower values of plantations’ SOC in comparison to natural grassland and grazed páramo sites. Higher elevation was associated with lower amounts of pines’ biomass. Conclusions Even though plantations store high amounts of carbon, natural páramo grassland can also store substantial amounts above and belowground, without negatively affecting the soils and putting other páramo ecosystem services at risk. Consequently, plans for afforestation in the páramo should be assessed case by case, considering not only the limiting factor of elevation, but also the site quality especially affected by the type of previous land use.

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“…In the academic literature, three Meta-discourses have been identified in the context of forest policies, REDD+ and CDM: (i) Ecological Modernization; (ii) Green Governmentality; and (iii) Civic Environmentalism [13,14,16]. The Ecological Modernization and Green Governmentality perspectives draw attention to capitalist and techno-managerial understandings and stand in contrast to the discourse of Civic Environmentalism.…”

Section: Theoretical Framework-discourse Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, despite the multiple benefits of standing forests for the climate, biodiversity and people [4,[7][8][9], the existing restoration potential remains heavily underutilized in practice. One related issue is that climate effective A/R projects under the CDM may favor large-scale (industrial) plantations that are associated with numerous environmental and social risks [11][12][13]. Another more central issue is the high degree of objection from local people to such changes, presenting an obstacle for mechanisms such as the CDM and REDD+.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discourses across Scales on Forest Landscape Restoration

Reinecke

Blum

2018

Sustainability

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Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) has recently received broad political support, e.g., under the Bonn Challenge. However, although the concept promises quadruple wins for humans, biodiversity as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation, it remains heavily underutilized in practice. Drawing on a social constructivist reading and a survey in different developing and developed countries, we elaborate on varying existing narratives about FLR at global and country level. Overall, we find that FLR understandings in different countries strongly resonate with the globally pursued idea of enhancing ecological and human well-being. In more detail, however, rural development and climate mitigation oriented motives are prioritized over aspects of species conservation or adaptation. Globally, strong emphasis is placed on collaborative processes empowering local actors. At country level, by contrast, these ideas regarding greater local authority are complemented with a techno-managerial notion of government control. Considering the potential power struggles that could be evoked from such dialectic expectations, we see it as a primary responsibility for global FLR processes to fully embrace the political dimension of FLR and to support conflict resolution and adaptive learning processes.

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Afforestation and reforestation with the clean development mechanism: Potentials, problems, and future directions

Cited by 5 publications

References 43 publications

Impact of Spruce Plantation on Plant Diversity

Impact of Spruce Plantation on Plant Diversity

Impacts of pine plantations on carbon stocks of páramo sites in southern Ecuador

Discourses across Scales on Forest Landscape Restoration

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