Methodology development and simulations for estimating greenhouse gas emission reductions from improved forest management with reduced impact logging

A method was developed to estimate greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions, using a set of calculations to quantify the changes in biomass carbon when conventional logging (CL) is replaced by improved forest management (IFM) with reduced impact logging (RIL). A case study of 30,000 ha net harvestable area of tropical rainforest in Paragominas, Para, Brazil, was employed, where 25 m3 ha−1 was harvested over 30 years. To simulate changes from CL to RIL, the residual stand damage factor was reduced from 1.94 to 1.5 Mg C damaged per Mg C extracted, losses in harvested wood volumes were reduced from 16 to 5% while the lumber recovery fraction was increased from 0.47 to 0.55, the area for landing, roads and skid trails was decreased from 20% to 10%, and regrowth rate increased from 0.5 to 2.5 Mg of dry matter ha−1 yr−1. The simulations attained emissions reductions in the order of 3,175,212 Mg CO2-e, which equates to 28.8 Mg C ha−1 or 0.96 Mg C ha−1 yr−1, an approximate 82% reduction from CL baseline emissions...