Mapping carbon accumulation potential from global natural forest regrowth

Background:

The authors note that previous studies have estimated the potential for carbon sequestration through afforestation and reforestation, but there has been less focus on the potential for natural forest regrowth. They also highlight the need for more accurate estimates of carbon accumulation rates in regrowing natural forests, as well as a better understanding of the factors that influence these rates.

Goals:

The main objectives of this paper are as follows:  1) Assemble a global dataset of carbon in naturally regrowing forests from the literature and national inventory data. 2)Assess how strongly climatic factors, soil characteristics, and land-use history influence variation in carbon accumulation rates. 3) Produce a spatially explicit model of potential carbon accumulation across the globe for the first thirty years of natural forest regrowth. 4) Provide insights into the potential of regrowing natural forests to capture additional carbon and mitigate global warming. 5) Highlight the practical implications of this research for forest management and climate change mitigation efforts.

Takeaway:

Regrowing natural forests on degraded lands has the potential to sequester significant amounts of carbon, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. This study provides a global map of potential carbon accumulation rates in regrowing natural forests, which can help guide forest management and climate change mitigation efforts. The authors also highlight the practical implications of this research for forest restoration, emphasizing the potential of natural forest regrowth as a cost-effective and biodiversity-friendly approach.