REDD-Plus:A Case Study from Uttarakhand

Mohit Gera; J. S. Jiju; Sadhana Yadav

doi:10.36808/if/2018/v144i4/126458

REDD-Plus:A Case Study from Uttarakhand

Authors

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

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2018/v144i4/126458

Keywords:

REDD-Plus, Carbon Stock, Forest Degradation, Mitigation, GHG.

Abstract

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) offer an opportunity to mitigate significant amount of emissions at relatively low costs with substantial co-benefits of biodiversity conservation, opportunities for livelihood and sustainable development. 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 objective to estimate the potential of emissions reduction due to avoidance of forest degradation. The Landsat satellite data of the study area has been classified for the three time frames 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 four carbon pools, i.e., above ground biomass, below ground biomass, dead organic matter and soil organic carbon. Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) image has been generated for the three time frames for estimation of biomass and biomass change detection. The study estimated that during the period of 1998 to 2014, the carbon stock has been decreased by 1,007,387 tonnes indicating significant amount of forest degradation. The paper also presents important drivers of forest degradation and policy measures to address them.

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