Chapter 10. Trees have Already been Invented: Carbon in Woodlands

Abstract

In the developed world, discussions of climate change mitigation and adaptation tend to focus on technological solutions such as decarbonizing electric grids and regulating emissions of methane, black carbon, and so on. However, an often overlooked strategy for reaching greenhouse gas reduction targets in much of the developing world is rooted, not in new technologies, but in vegetation management. Trees and other vegetation absorb carbon as they grow and release carbon when they are burnt, so landscapes function as carbon sinks and carbon storage sites when forests are growing, on one hand, and as carbon sources when forests are cleared, on the other. Since greenhouse gas emissions from such land use changes rival emissions from the entire transport sector, trees and vegetation are essential to efforts to slow and adapt to climate change. Under the right circumstances, vegetation recovery and its carbon uptake occur quickly. Moreover, carbon uptake can be strongly affected by human management of forests; the right kinds of management can improve rates of recovery and carbon sequestration substantially. This chapter reviews carbon dynamics in mature forests, secondary forests, agroforests and tree landscapes in urban areas to point out the variability of these systems and the potential for enhancing carbon uptake and storage. Furthermore, vegetation systems have many additional benefits in the form of other environmental services, such as improving livelihoods, subsistence insurance habitat, microclimates, and water systems. Finally, by managing forests better, we can also make significant contributions to climate justice because most global forests and forested landscapes are under the stewardship of small holders.

Tropical forest-transition landscapes: a portfolio for studying people, tree crops and agro-ecological change in context

“…The sentinel landscape portfolio could consider including a better representation of the processes the curve represents. For instance, the review by Hecht et al (2016) emphasizes the climate relevance, beyond carbon storage, by trees in urban and agricultural environments. Given the global movement to restore forests and landscapes, in the future, this forest-transition stage will deserve more effort, especially in delivering ecosystem services in highly populated areas.…”

Capitalizing Trees for Carbon Sequestration as a Co-Benefit of Biophilic Urbanism

“…The descriptive statistics were used to calculate the frequencies and mean scores of the variables under study. The relationship among the variables was explored with the Pearson correlation high anthropogenic CO 2 the high potential of trees in isting in the achievement of not be overlooked [20,21].…”

“…as a carbon sink, bending ve at a point where carbon trolled below 2 °C [21] and limate change at the local itigation and adaptation suggested as a solution and to live with this situation e most economical solutions aces in cities, which would cut down on the rising level hilic design focuses on l elements and features, ntations in cities, for an more dominant characteristics of this park is the presence of more than 100 types of native and exotic species of trees that made it suitable for data collection in this study. coefficient and linear regression analysis.…”

“…Although there has been debate about the rate of carbon dioxide off-set by urban trees in comparison to the high anthropogenic CO 2 release in cities [19], the high potential of trees in carbon uptake and assisting in the achievement of carbon neutrality cannot be overlooked [20,21]. Urban tree cover acts as a carbon sink, bending the rising carbon curve at a point where carbon emissions can be controlled below 2 °C [21] and helping to mitigate climate change at the local level [22,23].…”

Simulating future land cover change in the Tono catchment using the CA-Markov model

“…Too often, the consequences of deforestation due to LULCC have been linked to global warming with little mention of deforestation's threat to water resources (Ellison, 2018). Hence, the overwhelming focus of afforestation strategies on carbon as opposed to water, despite the advantages forest-water interaction can bring (Ciais, 2013; Hecht et al, 2016). Though the concept of "forest managed for soil and water protection" (FAO, 2015) has yielded positive results in some parts of the world, forest management with soil and water protection as the primary objective is yet to gain ground in Africa (Springgay et al, 2019).…”