Potential Difference of Tree Species on Carbon Sequestration Performance and Role of Forest Based Industry to the Environment (Case of Arsi Forest Enterprise Gambo District)

Abstract

Introduction BackgroundGlobal emissions of carbon have been increasing for about 140 years since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. The sharpest increase is observed during the most recent 50 years [1], principally from accelerated use of fossil fuels. Concentration of carbon dioxide (C0 2 ) in the atmosphere has increased by about 25% from pre-industrial levels and will approach 360 ppm by the end of year 2000. It is estimated that future doubling of atmospheric CO 2 concentration to about 700 ppm will risk an accompanying greenhouse rise of approximately 1.5-4.0°C in mean global surface temperature [2]. Ethiopia is one of the fast growing countries in which following agriculture lead to industrial economic strategies' . One of the recent foundations of industrial park in the country aims to support agricultural sector in the long run to take over the role of agriculture. Therefore, with the industrial development the effect of environmental pollution in general has to get attention and mitigation methods have to be developed. Urban greenery is supposed to get attention in the entire the country in general and specifically in the city proposed for establishments of industrial parks. Accordingly, Adama is one among those cities and also due to geographical location need to develop mitigation methods since the city is one which is fastest growing even among some Ethiopian cities. In this regard, this study made an assessment on main tree species in a plantation in the entire city and mainly five species are dominating. This tree species are; Cupresuss lusitanica, Grevillea robusta, Pinus radiata, Eucalyptus grandis and Pinus patulla. Forest based carbon offset projects have the potential to act as both a climate change mitigation tool and a means of fostering sustainable forest conservation and preservation. While modeling has provided positive assessments of the potential for our forests to sequester large amounts of carbon, the lack of localized field studies has limited the feasibility of initiating biotic carbon emissions offset projects in many of the countries threatened forests. This study provides an analysis of carbon storage and the potential difference for selected species to increase carbon stocks in our forest. Such an assessment is required by Ethiopia's commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and as a baseline for participation in the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol to the convention. Scientific concerns about the issue of anthropogenic driven global warming and global deforestation trends have driven efforts to better quantify the role of forests and tropical forests in particular, in the global carbon cycle [3]. As forests are converted to less carbon rich land cover types, such as agricultural fields or urban areas, much of the carbon stored in forest biomass is released into the atmosphere. An estimated 13 million hectares of tropical forest is lost each year to deforestation [4] emitting between 5.6 and 8.6 Gt of carbon [5]. Atmosp...