Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the structure of two deciduous forests and assess their above-ground carbon stock in order to promote community forest management (CFM) for REDD+ opportunities in the Ban Mae Chiang Rai Lum Community Forest in northern Thailand. A systematic sampling method was used to establish twenty-five sample plots of 40 m × 40 m (0.16 ha) each that were used to survey the entire 3,925 ha area of the community forest. Cluster analysis identified two different forest types: dry dipterocarp forest and mixed deciduous forest. It was determined that the above-ground carbon stock did not vary significantly between them. An analysis of carbon sequestration in the community forest indicates that carbon stock increased under CFM from 2007 to 2018 by an estimated 28,928 t C and participation in the carbon market would have yielded approximately US $339,730.43 or US $8.66 /ha/year to the community for that 10-year period. Projections for 2028 reflect that carbon stock will experience continual growth which indicates that maintaining CFM can increase carbon sequestration and reduce CO2 emissions. However, though further growth of carbon stock in the community forest is expected into 2038, that growth would be at a lesser rate than during the preceding decade. This suggests that CFM management should address forest utilization practices with a focus on maintaining long term carbon stock growth. Additional measures to address the impact of drought conditions and to safeguard against forest fires are required to sustain tree species’ growth and expansion in order to increase their carbon accumulation potential. Thailand’s community forest involvement in REDD+ and participation in its international carbon market could create more economic opportunities for local communities.
Highlights
IntroductionSocial and economic benefits to local communities
Forests provide essential environmental, social and economic benefits to local communities
The resulting dendrogram reflected 5.83% chaining and was cut with 12.5% of the remaining information explained by two forest types: dry dipterocarp forest (DDF) and mixed deciduous forest (MDF)
Summary
Social and economic benefits to local communities They are one of the world’s largest carbon sinks storing 45% of the earth’s terrestrial carbon and absorbing 2.4 billion tons of atmospheric CO2 each year [1,2,3]. Vast amounts of carbon can be found in above-ground biomass in amounts that vary based upon forest type, tree species composition, diversity, and other factors [7,8,9] Understanding these factors and having accurate sequestration data can inform the efficacy of pursuing the myriad benefits of participating in international carbon markets [10]. These deciduous forests consist primarily of dry dipterocarp (DDF) and mixed deciduous (MDF) forests [12,13,14,15]
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