Full Length Research Paper
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION
We observed that tree species stored the highest carbon stock of all carbon pools and J. procera reserved the highest biomass carbon stock. More than 50% of the trees were found in <20 cm DBH class. Hence, the study showed the forest is dominated by young trees after the implementation of community forest management through plantation and natural regenerations. The ultimate inference indicates that, there is high potential of increasing bio-mass carbon stock in the future if appropriate manage-ment of the forest is implemented. Existing timber harvesting should be done in a sustainable manner without disturbing the young trees to grow and increase their biomass. Communities should focus only on old and dead trees to fulfill the demand of firewood. Forest soil was also found to have a good reservoir of carbon stock in this forest. Different undergrowth shrubs and LHGs were also important pools that contributed to carbon sink in the CF though the carbon density were small as compared to many tropical forests. The CF was the reservoir of potentially high amount of carbon as compared to similar areas in the tropics particularly in tropical Africa, Asia and Latin America. Currently, the CF had the capacity to store 507.29 t·ha-1 carbon; helping in mitigating climate change by sequestering 1861.75 t·ha-1 of CO2 equivalents which implies that remarkable carbon finance benefit has to be demanded. However, ongoing threats of observed human activities such as agricultural expansion, livestock grazing, harvesting for firewood and construction and illegal charcoal production will likely diminish all carbon pools unless effective measures have to be enforced. The carbon sequestration should be integrated with REDD+ and CDM carbon trading system of the Kyoto Protocol to get monetary benefit of carbon dioxide mitigation which can be helpful for the sustainability of the forest.
CONFLICT OF INTERESTS
The author(s) have not declared any conflict of interest.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors acknowledge Addis Ababa University, Oromia Forest and Wildlife Enterprise, Dilla University, Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources and Ethiopian National Meteorology Agency, for the assistance during the research period. Fund was obtained from the Thematic Research of Addis Ababa University; “Floral and Fungal Diversity, Ethnobotany and Carbons Sequestration Potential of Western and Southwestern Forests of Ethiopia”.
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