Emissions Reduction Due to Avoidance of Forest Degradation: A Pilot Study

Mohit Gera; J. S. Jiju; Sadhana Yadav; Shashi Kumar

doi:10.36808/if/2017/v143i9/118897

Emissions Reduction Due to Avoidance of Forest Degradation: A Pilot Study

Authors

Mohit Gera Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, P.O. New Forest, Dehradun (Uttarakhand)
J. S. Jiju Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, P.O. New Forest, Dehradun (Uttarakhand)
Sadhana Yadav Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, P.O. New Forest, Dehradun (Uttarakhand)
Shashi Kumar Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, P.O. New Forest, Dehradun (Uttarakhand)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2017/v143i9/118897

Keywords:

REDD-Plus, Forest Degradation, Carbon Stock, Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index.

Abstract

Deforestation and forest degradation contribute significantly to the warming of global climate systems. Forests on the other hand have the potential to remove the accumulated carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and sequester it into vegetation, soil and carbon continues to be locked for a long time in durable wood products. In view of the importance of the role of forests in mitigation of climate change, a 'Pilot study on REDD-plus' has been carried out on 9907 ha of Timli Forest Range of Kalsi Soil Conservation Division, Uttarakhand with the objectives to estimate the potential of emissions reduction due to avoidance of forest degradation. The Landsat satellite data of study area has been downloaded from USGS website and classified for the three time lines viz., 1998, 2008 and 2014 and for four different forest density classes viz., very dense forest, moderately dense forest, open forest and non forest by using ERDAS imagine software. Stratified random sampling technique has been applied for 2014 classified image and data was collected for three carbon pools, i.e., above ground biomass, below ground biomass and dead organic matter. Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) image has been generated for the three time lines for estimation of biomass of 1998 and 2008 and for biomass change detection. The study estimated that the total carbon stock for the year 2014 was 6,196,275.74 tonnes while for earlier years of 2008 and 1998 it was estimated to be 6,591,710.06 and 7,199,583.92 tonnes, respectively indicating significant amount of forest degradation.

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