Evaluating the performance of bamboo forests managed for carbon sequestration and other co-benefits in Suichang and Anji, China

Abstract

Using the Methodology for Bamboo Forest Management Projects for Carbon Sequestration and field data, we assess the performances of China Certified Emissions Reduction bamboo management projects for carbon sequestration in Suichang and Anji. We also explore the performance variation in response to differences in site condition and price and cost levels. Our results show that within a 30-year time period, the annual net present values (NPV) and carbon sequestration per hectare of the Suichang project are 3330.53 yuan (1 US dollar is about 6.7 Chinese yuan) and 7.19 tons, whereas they are 3895.53 yuan and 6.01 tons in Anji. Compared to the traditional bamboo forest management systems, large gains are found in bamboo timber and shoot revenues as well as the NPVs of carbon projects. Further, the NPV per unit area of the carbon sequestration project in Suichang, which has a poorer site condition, is lower than that in Anji, while Suichang's carbon sequestration revenue per unit area is higher than that of Anji. Variation in NPV can be caused by differences in site condition or price/cost factors.