India

Carbon stock in Kolli forests, Eastern Ghats (India) with emphasis on aboveground biomass, litter, woody debris and soils

background

Carbon estimates for India’s forests are inadequate because they are largely based on secondary data. While actual carbon estimates exist in some locales, a nationwide carbon inventory is needed. This study contributes an evaluation of above- and belowground biomass and carbon stocks in the Kolli Hills of the Eastern Ghats, Tamilnadu.

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Spatial Interpolation of Carbon Stock: A Case Study from the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot, India

Background

This study in the Anamalai Hills of the Western Ghats estimates the biomass and carbon stock of major tropical forest types in India and attempts to identify suitable interpolation techniques to map carbon stock.

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Growth, biomass, carbon storage and nutrient distribution in Gmelina arborea stands on red lateritic soils in central India

Background

Large-scale plantations are being established on degraded lands in India to restore the productivity of these soils and landscapes and to sequester atmospheric carbon. Gmelina arborea is a fast-growing indigenous tree used for timber, fuelwood, pulp and fodder already in use in reforestation projects. However, its growth and biomass production has been inadequately studied, particularly in the poor red laterite soils that dominate degraded landscapes.

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Forest conservation, afforestation, and reforestation in India: Implications for forest carbon stocks

Background

Considering India’s goal to have 1/3 of their land area forested by 2012, this article assesses the implications of past and current forest conservation and regeneration policies and carbon stock programs.

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Assessing the Mitigation Potential of Forestry Activities in a Changing Climate: A Case Study for Karnataka

Background

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol has two goals: promote climate mitigation activities that offset carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere, and promote sustainable economic development. Afforestation and reforestation (A/R) projects can often meet these two goals simultaneously. India, which ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 2002, has sought to implement A/R projects as part of the CDM.

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The Impact of Forest Use and Reforestation on Soil Hydraulic Conductivity in the Western Ghats of India: Implications for Surface and Sub-Surface Hydrology

background

This article presents research on the surface and sub-surface permeability of degraded and restored forests and their dominant stormflow pathways  in the humid tropics of Uttar Kannada district, Karnataka, India. The authors attempt to determine to what extent field saturated hydraulic conductivity (K*) isaltered due to long-term forest degradation as compared to other studies in the humid tropics. They quantify changes in permeability following forestation of plantations and degraded landscapes and investigate the likely effect of wet-season conditions and the implications this has for predicting hydrologic consequences of forest degradation.

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Afforestation and Reforestation Projects in South and South-East Asia Under the Clean Development Mechanism: Trends and Development Opportunities

background

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) was created as part of the 2007 Kyoto Protocol to assist countries in achieving both development and sustainability. Afforestation and reforestation (AR) projects are a part of the CDM protocal, but can be challenging to implement and measure.

research goals & methods

This study reports on survey results regarding CDM-AR projects. Surveys were conducted in South and South-east Asia of both (i) experts and (ii) developers, investors, and consultants.

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Simulating Forest Cover Changes of Bannerghatta National Park Based on a CA-Markov Model: A Remote Sensing Approach

Background

Establishment of protected areas has been a primary response to deforestation and land-use change in tropical forests. However, few empirical evaluations have conducted a comparison of pre- and post-intervention landscapes.

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Monitoring Mangrove Forest Dynamics of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh and India using Multi-Temporal Satellite Data from 1973 to 2000

Background

In the Sundurbans of India and Bangladesh, the authors measured the extent and condition of the mangrove forest at three intervals using GeoCover datasets (Landsat MSS, TM, ETM+) with the goal of assessing the current extent of the remaining forest, measuring change in the extent of the forest in different time periods, and identifying areas of intensive deforestation or degradation and changes in patterns of canopy density.

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Integrating National Forestry Initiatives in India with International Climate Change Policy

background

This study reviews forest policies in India (eg. 1988 Forest Policy, 1990 Joint Forest Management, and 2006 Recognition of Forest Rights) and their impacts to assess how they can complement and inform international climate change mitigation instruments. It also seeks to determine how communities can sustain their system of forest management and retain/obtain rights to land and resources under these instruments.

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