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1/... Very interesting paper from Scotland on net carbon balances in forestry. Would be interesting to do similar analysis in Ireland but imagine broad conclusions would be same
Not seeing the carbon for the trees? Why area-based targets for establ... https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264837719304041
Not seeing the carbon for the trees? Why area-based targets for establ... https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264837719304041
2/.. Paper highlights above and below ground C showing where likely surpluses and deficits occur and how long they persist under various land use, soils, weather and forestry management options. Summary: A. Potential for new woodland to make strong positive contribution...
3/..to GHG emission abatement. B. Area based target as indication of C sequestration limited and potential for unintentional undesirable consequences. C. Wide range of potential outcomes from woodland establishment in any one area. D. C balance outcomes are influenced by many..
4/....factors and more nuanced than generally reported. D. Using more productive land types delivers more C sequestration per hectare. E. Extensive establishment of lower yielding trees on low productivity ground can result in net emissions that persist for decades.....
5/ ..F. important not to plant deep peats (Planting of deep peat not permitted in current Irish forest policy). G. Forestry planting on semi-natural vegetation in most cases sees net losses of C in first 20 years and even up to 80 years.
6/.....H. Productive Sitka spruce results in net losses of C on organo-mineral soils and plating on these sites would not contribute to climate mitigation targets in short to medium term. I. New upland broadleaf afforestation should be promoted through natural regeneration or..
7/...low impact management but C sequestration is slow on this land type. J. Broadleaves on more productive land types give net C sequestration from early stage and authors recommend integrating into farmland management using shelter belts and agroforestry for example....
8/ Overall lessons I get from paper is that we need to be aware that trade-offs and synergies between C sequestration and range of other objectives that new woodland planting are expected to deliver. There is no simple one size fits all and outcomes ......
9/..are quite specific to land/soil type, choice of trees species and forest management choices
