Managing reforestation to sequester carbon, increase biodiversity potential and minimize loss of agricultural land

Authors

Keryn I. Paul, CSIRO Agriculture and CSIRO Land and Water Flagship, ACT, Australia
Shaun C. Cunningham, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia
Jacqueline R. England, CSIRO Agriculture and CSIRO Land and Water Flagship, VIC, Australia
Stephen H. Roxburgh, CSIRO Agriculture and CSIRO Land and Water Flagship, ACT, Australia
Noel D. Preece, James Cook University & Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Atherton, Qld, Australia
Tom Lewis, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia
Kim Brooksbank, Department of Agriculture and Food, Albany, Western AustraliaFollow
Debbie F. Crawford, CSIRO Agriculture and CSIRO Land and Water Flagship, ACT, Australia
Philip J. Polglase, CSIRO Agriculture and CSIRO Land and Water Flagship, ACT, Australia

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-2016

Journal Title

Land Use Policy

ISSN

ISSN 0264-8377 eISSN 1873-5754

Keywords

Afforestation; Environmental plantings; FullCAM; Mallee eucalypts; Mixed-species plantings; Carbon sequestration; Co-benefits

Disciplines

Agricultural Science | Agronomy and Crop Sciences | Climate | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Environmental Monitoring | Forest Biology | Forest Management | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Plant Biology | Spatial Science | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology

Abstract

Reforestation will have important consequences for the global challenges of mitigating climate change, arresting habitat decline and ensuring food security. We examined field-scale trade-offs between carbon sequestration of tree plantings and biodiversity potential and loss of agricultural land. Extensive surveys of reforestation across temperate and tropical Australia (N = 1491 plantings) were used to determine how planting width and species mix affect carbon sequestration during early development (< 15 year). Carbon accumulation per area increased significantly with decreasing planting width and with increasing proportion of eucalypts (the predominant over-storey genus). Highest biodiversity potential was achieved through block plantings (width > 40 m) with about 25% of planted individuals being eucalypts. Carbon and biodiversity goals were balanced in mixed-species plantings by establishing narrow belts (width < 20 m) with a high proportion (>75%) of eucalypts, and in monocultures of mallee eucalypt plantings by using the widest belts (ca. 6–20 m). Impacts on agriculture were minimized by planting narrow belts (ca. 4 m) of mallee eucalypt monocultures, which had the highest carbon sequestering efficiency. A plausible scenario where only 5% of highly-cleared areas (

Recommended Citation

Keryn I. Paul, Shaun C. Cunningham, Jacqueline R. England, Stephen H. Roxburgh, Noel D. Preece, Tom Lewis, Kim Brooksbank, Debbie F. Crawford, Philip J. Polglase, Managing reforestation to sequester carbon, increase biodiversity potential and minimize loss of agricultural land, Land Use Policy, Volume 51, 2016, Pages 135-149, ISSN 0264-8377, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2015.10.027.