An integrated approach to assess carbon credit from improved forest management

Fossil fuel consumption in recent decades has caused the rise of CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere, with negative consequences on the environment and human health. This study develops a methodological framework to quantify carbon credits from carbon-oriented forest management and evaluates the economic sustainability of their sale. Application of the framework to two forest compartments with long-lasting active management in the Western Italian Alps showed the feasibility of the methodology and provided insights on its replication in other contexts. Particularly, the Carbon-oriented scenario led to a reduction of both the extracted wood volume (10% and 6.5% CASE1 and CASE2, respectively) and Net Present Value (32% and 29%), leading to a carbon credit price of 19.6 € MgCO_2eq^?1? and 44.1 € MgCO_2eq^?1 to counteract these losses.

This work allows us to highlight the factors needed to design and evaluate alternative forest management options while considering the consequences of climate change. Moreover, the hypothesized scenarios include an economic remuneration of the positive externalities provided by sustainable forest management.

Finally, the proposed workflow entails undeniable environmental benefits while contrasting climate change but still looks undesirable with respect to the traditional timber-oriented management in compartments where high-quality wood products can be obtained.     

Impact of thermal modification on bioresistance of North American wood species,Pinus banksiana,Populus tremuloides,and Betula papyrifera,against wood-rotting basidiomycete fungi

In this study, the decay resistance of untreated and thermally modified jack pine (Pinus Banksiana), aspen (Populus tremuloides), and white birch (Betula Papyrifera) was evaluated. Wood specimens were exposed to laboratory decay resistance tests using the wood-rot fungi, Trametes. versicolor, Poria placenta, and Gloephyllum trabeum for 2–12 weeks of incubation.

The results indicated that, T. versicolor fungus was virulent against all the three untreated woods, B. papyrifera (73.9% weight loss), P. tremuloides (57.1% weight loss), and P. banksiana (43.5% weight loss). P. placenta fungus affected B. papyrifera (52.4% weight loss), P. banksiana (52.3% weight loss), and P. tremuloides (36.7% weight loss). G. trabeum fungus was virulent against P. banksiana (41.53% weight loss), but less active against B. papyrifera (11.6% weight loss) and P. tremuloides (21.9% weight loss).

It was found that the weight losses due to T. versicolor fungus activity were reduced for P. banksiana (1.5% weight loss) thermally modified at 210 °C, B. papyrifera (27.9% weight loss) at 215 °C, and P. tremuloides (9% weight loss) at 220 °C compared to the weight losses of their untreated counterparts. These correspond to 96.5%, 62.2% and 84.2% of decrease in weight loss, respectively. Similar results were obtained with G. trabeum fungus. On the contrary, thermal modification on the deterioration of P. banksiana (39.1% weight loss) by P. Placenta was affected less resulting in only 25.2% weight loss relative to untreated wood.     

Assessing the drivers of land use change in the Rumpi hills forest protected area,Cameroon

Protected areas serve two objectives, biodiversity conservation and securing of ecosystem services. But the recent expansion of human activities around Cameroon’s Rumpi Hills Forest Reserve in this Era of Sustainable Development Goals is a call for concern. This study assesses land use and land cover change around the reserve and their potential impact on its sustainability. A total of 250 household surveys were conducted across 13 villages in four selected sites around the reserve in addition to 11 focus group discussions. Landsat 7 ETM (2000) and Landsat 8 OLI (2014) images and topographic maps were utilized to quantify land use and land cover change.

During the 14-year period, dense forest dropped to 90.2% while settlements increased from 744.6 to 2148.8 hectares in 2014. Also, farmlands increased by 18.25% representing a change from 9400.4 to 11117.16 hectares. Over 98% and 85% of the respondents are engaged in the cultivation of food and cash crops and are dependent on the forests for timber and non-timber forests products. Land and tree-based interventions that improve soil fertility should be promoted among smallholder farmers to ensure the sustainability of protected areas in Cameroon.     

Effects of legal regulations on land use change: 2/B applications in Turkish forest law

For the countries struggling with climate change, sustainable forestry is one of the greatest challenges and is difficult to define, implement, and to measure. According to the scientific community’s consensus on climate change, forests are one of the major sinks and sustainable forest management (SFM) is needed to prevent deforestation and its negative effects on natural ecosystems. Despite being a party to many international treaties/agreements related to land use policies (LUP) that are promoting SFM to protect and develop forest resources, the 2/B application in Turkish forest legislation has been causing deforestation in Turkey since the 1970s.

In this study, 2/B applications–political and legal process–causing deforestation by land use change (LUC) are investigated by carrying out a legal analysis. About 500.000 ha of forests have been lost due to the 2/B application and as a LUP directly affects SFM, carbon sequestration capacities (CSC), and therefore, climate change. To exemplify this pre and post-LUC change and effect, the amount of carbon that was prevented from being absorbed as 176,7 tonnes/ha on average in a given forest area for the year 2016. There is a vital need to address the negative effects of ill-defined forest legislation to achieve SFM.     

The complexity and consequences of the policy implementation dealing with sustainable ideas

This article portrays a case study in Yogyakarta, Indonesia which looks into the dynamic relationship between communities and the effectiveness of the implementation of community-based forest management (CBFM) policies and its programme, and particularly on how local institutions deal with the shifting dynamics of these policies. As there is currently an absence of research in this area, this research therefore focuses on how the local community implements policy, builds relationships with other stakeholders, and strengthens local community institutions.

CBFM has been implemented in Yogyakarta since 1995 and during that time, the central government has been changing the policy for five times. At this point, this article argues that CBFM should rely on local institutions and deal with the shifting dynamics of policies. The terms of institutions can be considered to include formal institutions, such as Constitution, government laws, charters, decrees and statutes, and informal institutions, such as code of conducts, customs, local knowledge and social expectations. Furthermore, in selected communities, it is clear that the local communities can apply their informal institutions as an important component and value of traditional systems and significantly involved in forest management sustainability and establish the formal institutions simultaneously.     

Pre-harvest Curing: Effects on Skin Adhesion,Chemical Composition and Shelf-life of Sweetpotato Roots under Tropical Conditions

Excoriation (skinning injury) is a serious post-harvest problem for sweetpotato roots. In industrialized countries, sweetpotatoes are exposed to post-harvest curing to facilitate skin toughening and wound healing. However, in developing regions, such a practice is barely undertaken. Pre-harvest curing (PHC), where sweetpotatoes are subjected to defoliation before harvest, is a potential alternative to post-harvest curing. A field trial was conducted in southern Ethiopia. Roots underwent PHC treatment for 3, 7, 10, and 14 days, with 0 days as a control sample. Skin adhesion and chemical composition (ash, crude fibre, crude protein, dry matter, and starch) of the parenchyma and the periderm were measured. Storage testing at ambient conditions for 30 days was conducted.

Skin adhesion among all the treatments was significantly increased. The maximum skin adhesion was observed after 14 days (358.92 mN.m); however after 7 days of PHC, no significant change occurred. Root dry matter and ash content remained unaffected by the treatments. An increase in periderm crude fibre was observed for treatment samples, indicating lignification. Parenchyma crude protein concentration demonstrated a sudden drop in value from the control to 3 days of PHC (5.19 to 2.32%). For successive durations, crude protein started to increase from 3 days, demonstrating an active protein metabolism. Starch, the most important constituent affecting palatability and processing of sweetpotato, was not affected by PHC. Roots subjected to PHC for 10 and 14 days presented a potential for enhancing shelf life by having a significantly lower weight loss after 30 days of storage.     

Improvement of mechanical properties of thermally modified hardwood through melamine treatment

Specimens of beech, ash, lime and poplar were thermally modified (T) and treated with an aqueous solution of melamine (M) resin to investigate the mechanical changes after combined (double) modification (TM). Density, solution uptake, weight percent gain, bulking and equilibrium moisture content were recorded to ensure proper treatment. Samples for Brinell hardness and three-point bending were cured at 120°C under dry conditions. The WPGs of the two treatment groups M and TM were similar, but bulking of TM specimens was negative. This might indicate an incomplete penetration into the thermally modified cell wall in combination with a potential leaching of soluble hemicellulose components by the alkaline impregnation solution. The decreased hardness of heat-treated wood was substantially increased by melamine treatment (combined modification). Both modifications and their combination slightly increased the modulus of elasticity. The modulus of rupture was increased after melamine treatment, decreased after thermal modification and combined modification. The work in bending was severely reduced for all treatments. Melamine treatment of thermally modified wood was carried out successfully and some mechanical properties were improved. Double-modified wood with increased modulus of rupture (MOR) and extraordinary surface hardness would be suitable for non-structural outdoor applications such as decking and cladding.

Abbreviations: ANOVA: Analysis of variance; EMC: Equilibrium moisture content; EMC_R: Reduced (corrected) equilibrium moisture content; IB: Impact bending strength; M: Melamine treated; MOE: Modulus of elasticity; MOR: Modulus of rupture; MUF: melamine-urea-formaldehyde resin; OD: Oven dry density; R: Untreated references; RH: relative humidity; SC: Solid content; SU: Solution uptake; T: Thermally modified; TM: Thermally modified and melamine treated (double modification); WB: Work in bending; WPG: Weight percent gain     

Comparative study of chlorophyll content in diploid and tetraploid black wattle (Acacia mearnsii)

The effects of the number of chromosome sets on chlorophyllcontent in diploid and tetraploid black wattle were assessedthrough chlorophyll absorbance. Seedlings of 8 months of age,1-year-old trees in polybags and 2-year-old field material wereselected for this investigation. Three families per ploidy levelcomprising of 10 half-sibs per family were used in the analysis.An analysis of variance revealed significant differences (P< 0.05) in chlorophyll absorbance between diploid and tetraploidmaterials ( = 0.375 and = 0.653, respectively). Significantdifferences (P < 0.05) between treatments (seedling, baggedmaterial and field material) within each ploidy level were recorded,where chlorophyll absorbance increased from diploid bagged trees( = 0.343) to seedlings ( = 0.375) to field trees ( = 0.408). Similar significant increases were recordedfor the tetraploid seedlings ( = 0.629) to bagged trees ( = 0.644) to field trees ( = 0.686). Significant differences (P < 0.05) were also recordedbetween genetic lines within both ploidy levels. However, whencomparing families within each ploidy level, with respect totreatment differences, in most cases, two of the three familiesshowed no significant differences (P > 0.05). Within eachfamily, significant differences (P < 0.05) were recordedbetween each of the three treatments tested, with the fieldmaterial consistently having significantly (P < 0.05) greateramounts of chlorophyll.