Tree Diversity and Carbon Sinks: Role of Village Agro-ecosystems in the Western Ghats, Karnataka, India

Valuing forest ecosystem services and disservices – Case study of a protected area in India

“…Based on these parameters the additional carbon stored in forest is: 196 -177.25 tC/ha = 18.75 tC/ha. This valued at US$ 20/tC indicates that forests store more carbon worth about US$ 375/ha than coffee plantations.Another study in two villages in Uttara Kannada district in the Western Ghats region showed that in the sample plots studied the total carbon stock in natural forest was 43.5 tC/ha as compared to 4 tC/ha in agricultural bunds and homestead gardens, and 27.5 tC/ha in private forests(Murthy et al, 2011). Using these parameters, the additional carbon stored in natural forest was 39.5 tC/ha as compared to agricultural bunds/homestead gardens and 16 tC/ha as compared to that in a private forest.…”