Main results of the CARBON.CARE in ASTURIAS

Transcription

1 Main results of the CARBON.CARE in ASTURIAS Final Conference 15 th February 2013

2 OUTLINE CETEMAS Asturias Forest and Climate Change Objectives CARBON.CARE Study case in Asturias Conclusions Achievements and challenges for the future

3 CETEMAS Private, not-for-profit organization (2009) Formed by a group of forest and timber companies and the Regional Government of the Principality of Asturias Objective: to promote research, development and innovation in the different sectors involved in the forest - industry value chain. Areas: Sustainable Forest Management, Wood Technology and Timber Construction

4 ASTURIAS Total area of Asturias: 1 M ha Asturian forest represents almost 60% ( ha) Forest and timber industry: companies jobs

5 PROPERTY Public owners 30% Private owners 70% Asturian forests are largely private and fragmented

6 ASTURIAS The species with the greatest area of distribution Chestnut forest (Castanea sativa Mill.) ha 90 % private

7 Three possible ways to mitigate climate change in the forest sector: 1. Increasing or maintaining the carbon stock in the forest: Creating plantations Reforestation Avoided deforestation (REDD) Improving forest management practices 2. Increasing the carbon stock in wood products 3. Reducing carbon emissions in other economic sector by substitution CO 2 Wood Reducing deforestation Forest management CO 2 Energy

8 Objectives CARBON.CARE in Asturias 1. Evaluate carbon stock in chestnut forest and the potential carbon stock change due to the improved management 2. Study the potential carbon stock in primary wood products Design new approaches in the forest To assess local CO2 the potential sequestrations by carbon comparing stock different change management due to improvement alternatives, in with the forest final management aim of facilitating of CS agreements Chestnut forests between in public administrations Asturias and forestry operators 3. Analyze the relationship between forest management and carbon stock in forests and wood products

9 Methodology: Forest carbon stock Base line Scenario Chestnut coppice High forest Thinnings

10 Methodology (two aproaches) 1. Stand level: Permanent plots (bottom-up) CO2Fix, stand level 75 Plots set up 200 trees Evaluation of biomass and carbon content Distribution of some of the plots

11 Methodology (two aproaches) 1. Stand level: Permanent plots (bottom-up) CO2Fix, stand level 75 Plots set up 200 trees Distribution of some of the plots 2. Regional level: GIS and data from the National Forest Inventory (Top-down)

12 Carbon stock in primary wood products PAS 2050: 2011 Cradle to gate

13 Carbon stock in primary wood products Selection the most important sawmill in the region Six classes of wood products were evaluated Firewood Logs Small beams Planks Boards Beams

14 FOREST CARBON The new management procedure makes it possible to produce wood with better quality (diameter greater) than by managing the stand as a coppice New forest management would increase the production of wood (400 m 3 /ha vs 300 m 3 /ha, in 40 years) and it can preserve the carbon stock It makes possible a reduction in the percentage of harvesting residues in forest (40% vs 20%)

15 Carbon footprint in wood products The most significant contributor to GHG emission across chestnut wood processing was dependent on the type of product kg CO 2 e/ m Emissions associated with sawmill operations were very significant because of timber drying FIREWOOD SMALL BEAM PLANK BOARD LOG BEAM Planks and boards > others products

16 Wood products supply chain emissions Products with low carbon footprint Harvesting Transport Manufaturing Emissions (%) The most important GHG emission was road transport (more than 70%) 20 0 Firewood Small beam Plank Board Log Beam

17 Wood products supply chain emissions Products with high carbon footprint (planks and boards) Harvesting Transport Manufaturing The most significant contributor to GHG emissions was manufacturing (more than 70%) Emissions (%) Firewood Small beam Plank Board Log Beam

18 Cradle to gate carbon footprint of 1 m 3 of chestnut wood plank Importance the carbon removals in wood products % 15% 76% -200 Forestry 8% Trasnsport 15 % Sawmill 76 % KgCO 2 e Forestry Transport Sawmill Tree growth 1m 3 chestnut wood (tree growth) kg CO 2 e

19 Conclusions New management procedure decreases the percentage of harvesting residues in forest and increase the wood production Carbon footprints of products resulting from the newer management system (beams and small beams) are lower than those of the traditional products such as planks and boards Incorporating carbon stock estimation in chestnut forests in Asturias will provide additional ecological and economic benefits associated with consistent production of quality wood products and valuable timber

20 Achievements and challenges for the future MADERAS SIERO, S.A. becomes the first company in Europe to hold the certification of Carbon Footprint Management developed by NEPCon

21 Achievements and challenges for the future MADERAS SIERO, S.A. becomes the first company in Europe to hold the certification of Carbon Footprint Management developed by NEPCon Provide the forest sector with carbon footprint and emissions reduction calculation tools (practical handbook in Spanish) Encouraging interest about low carbon region in forestry sector (Technology transfer workshops) Evaluate potential financial incentive through voluntary carbon markets

22 Thank you for your attention

23 Carbon stock in chestnut forest 40 MT CO 2

24 Carbon monitoring changes in Forest Ecosystems Determine Wet weight of grass and little branches (kg plot -1 ) Nº of trees and DAP Soil organic carbone (%) Wet weight of litter (kg MV m -2 ) Models of biomass Density (g cm -3 ) Analyze Dry biomass (%) Wet weight por árbol; diameter, especies: y especie: wood, branches and roots Soil organic carbon (t C ha -1 ) Dry biomass (%) Compute Total weight of grass, shrubs and trees (t ha -1 ) Total biomass de árboles por grupos de especies (t ha -1 ) Litter (t MS ha -1 ) Carbone fraction: 0.5 or especies Andrade & Ibrahim (2004) Total Carbone (t C ha -1 )