Variation of forest surface and carbon fixation in mountain areas of the Regione Veneto (Italy) and the application of the Kyoto protocol

Abstract

Variation of forest surface and carbon fixation in mountain areas of the Regione Veneto (Italy) and the application of the Kyoto protocol. The Parties that have signed the Kyoto Protocol must reduce global emissions of Greenhouse Gasses (GHG) during the First Commitment Period (2008 -2012) by at least 5% with respect to 1990. This share is 6.5% for Italy. The Kyoto Protocol lays down some measures for reducing GHG emissions, which include actions in agriculture and forestry. it will thus be possible to take emissions and absorptions resulting from land use changes into account in the National Balances. Given the widespread forests in Italy, it is very important to have an assessment of the aptitude of this sector to act as a carbon sink. In this study we analysed the variation of forestland cover in a mountain area of the Veneto Region (NE Italy). The analysis was done by comparing aerial photos taken in 1991 with orthophotos reported to 2003, by photointerpretation of points with casual distribution on sample areas, according to a stratified sampling. We estimated a statistically relevant increment of about 0.095% of forest land only up to 1500 m compared to the estimated forest cover for 1990 (about 42 ha), underlining how this low increase is mainly due to forest management. The second step was to estimate the fixed carbon in the areas where forests increased. This was achieved by collecting biometrical data in the field, and then using allometric functions. The annual carbon sink was estimated as 0.69 Mg ha . Comparing these results with previous studies done in the pre-alpine region we estimate the annual increment of the forest area in the whole Veneto region to be about 409.94 ha and that the total carbon sink is about 282.86 Mg C year -1. A method for estimating carbon sink in afforestation/reforestation areas is proposed that could also be applied to other sites in Italy.Keywords: Kyoto Protocol, land use change, photointerpretation, carbon sink.

Recent trends in forest cover changes: only positive implications?

“…Although the RSD value is not negligible, this estimate represents one of the first attempts to assess the whole amount of C stored by secondary forests and not only the one referred to aboveground biomass. Moreover, the C stored in aboveground biomass (10.24 Mg ha-1) is close to the one reported by Lamedica et al (2007;10.98 Mg C ha-1). The calculated C stored could be largely attributed to SOC (53%) and aboveground (41%) pools.…”

“…6). For example, Lamedica et al (2007) estimated the increase of forest areas in Veneto region through photointerpretation processes and following the methodologies previously proposed by Salvadori et al (2005). Afterwards, Lamedica et al (2007) estimated the C stored at the baseline year (1990) and after recent spontaneous reforestation 2006, thorough biometric field surveys performed in 2006.…”

“…For example, Lamedica et al (2007) estimated the increase of forest areas in Veneto region through photointerpretation processes and following the methodologies previously proposed by Salvadori et al (2005). Afterwards, Lamedica et al (2007) estimated the C stored at the baseline year (1990) and after recent spontaneous reforestation 2006, thorough biometric field surveys performed in 2006. The suggested methodology was based on the application of allometric equations referring to the WBE functional model proposed by West et al (1999) and adapted according to the use of stand parameters, such as DBH (diameter at breast height) and height.…”

“…Accordingly, the abandoned lands suffer a rewilding process, but, in spite of the several benefits provided by forests, their growth at the expense of croplands, meadows and pastures, especially in mountain areas, represents a critical issue, being at the same time a new challenge and opportunity in terms of land use planning and politics (e.g., Conti and Fagarazzi;Huston, 2005;Sitzia et al, 2010;Navarro and Pereira, 2012). On one hand, the natural revegetation represents a positive opportunity in terms of mitigation strategies [(see Kyoto Protocol (KP), UNFCCC, 1997], due to the enhancement of potential carbon sinks (Corona et al, 2005;Salvadori et al, 2006;Lamedica et al, 2007). On the other hand, the depopulation of rural areas and the abandonment of agro-pastoral practices, seem to have several potential negative impacts from environmental, economic and social perspectives (Conti and Fagarazzi, 2004;Marchetti and Barbati, 2005;Sitzia et al, 2010;Agnoletti, 2014;Sallustio et al, in press).…”