Forestry Advance Access originally published online on April 18, 2007
Forestry 2007 80(2):99-111; doi:10.1093/forestry/cpm008
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Implications of environmental quality objectives on the potential of forestry to reduce net CO2 emissions – a case study in central Sweden
1 Department of Bioenergy, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7060, SE 75007 Uppsala, Sweden
2 The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden, Uppsala Science Park, SE 75183 Uppsala, Sweden
* Corresponding author. E-mail: erik.ericsson{at}bioenergi.slu.se
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Abstract |
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Forestry has an important role to play as a provider of energy from renewable biomass and through the sequestration of carbon in biomass and soil. Forests are also habitats for a large number of species which are important for biodiversity. In some cases, these two roles may conflict. The aim of this study was to model the implications of specific environmental quality objectives on the potential of forestry to reduce net CO2 emissions by addressing interim targets 1 and 2 in the environmental quality objective, sustainable forests for Uppsala County and used this region as a case study. The carbon stock in the biomass, the substitution effect, and the economic consequences associated with six forest management scenarios were considered. The development for the scenarios was simulated at stand level using an empirical model. The results of the study showed that the shortest rotation period was preferable to mitigate net CO2 emissions since it resulted in more biomass that could replace fossil fuel. However, such a strategy might affect sustainable policies negatively. Increasing the extent of mixed stands could be a preferable strategy since it may achieve several objectives.