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Role of Janakauli Buffer Zone Forest in Reducing Carbon Emission1

Nira Bhatta, nirabhatta@hotmail.com

Abstract

Community-based management of forests is about avoiding deforestation and about avoiding


forest degradation by implementing protective measures. Permanent loss of CO2 from terrestrial
ecosystem by conversion of land use and loss of biomass can be reduced by avoiding
deforestation thereby reducing carbon emission. As community holds the management
responsibilities, it improves forest condition increasing potential to capture larger amount of
atmospheric carbon both in soil as well as in vegetation. Community forest of Nepal has been
recognized under Reduced Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) policy
put forward in CoP 13 of UNFCCC.
The general objective of the study is to determine carbon stock capacity of the Janakauli Buffer
Community Forest and evaluate the potential of the forest in reducing carbon emission. Field
visit was conducted to estimate biomass carbon and soil organic carbon (SOC). Questionnaire
survey was carried out to obtain additional information regarding forest management. Data
analysis was based on various equations, laboratory analysis and interpretations. ANOVA
analysis was carried out to compare SOC content of forest with farmland and barren land.
Janakauli BZCF has a total carbon stock of 19359.67 ton with mean carbon stock of 40.77 t C
ha-1 in soil and 287.36 t C ha-1 in vegetation biomass. Carbon stock in forest soil is greater than
adjacent farmland (35.2 t C ha-1) and barren land (17.70 t C ha-1), thus additional amount of
carbon is stored in Janakauli BZCF which otherwise would have been lost into atmosphere. As
very little amount of forest products are harvested by user community and the community strictly
manages the forest, there is less possibility of leakage of carbon. The forest is still in growing
stage, therefore, has a high potential of reducing carbon emission in addition to various
environmental services as well as socio economic benefits. When provided permission to sell
carbon credits in the global carbon market, Janakauli BZCF could generate financial revenue and
also serve as an incentive for the local people to better manage their forest as well as it would
help in strengthening the community as a whole.
Keywords
Global warming, Climate change, Carbon sink, Carbon stock, Community forest, Avoided
deforestation, Carbon emission reduction

1
M.Sc. Thesis, College of Applied Sciences-Nepal, 2009

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