Treesearch

An important element of MRV is to ensure accurate measurements of carbon stocks. Measuring trees on the ground may be needed for ground truthing of remote sensing results. It can also provide more accurate carbon stock monitoring than remote sensing alone. Local involvement in measuring trees for monitoring of carbon stocks may be advantageous in several ways. Involving local communities in monitoring of biomass in REDD+ schemes may cut costs of ground truthing and data gathering on changing rates of forest degradation. Moreover, local involvement can encourage local ownership of REDD+...

Two methodologies for estimating net emissions from forest harvesting practices (for timber and possibly fuel) are presented: (1) a standard approach of using medium resolution imagery to monitor the expansion of logging infrastructure into non-logged areas for activity data combined with ground plots and the stock-change method for emission factors; and (2) a combination of data sources (timber extraction rates, management plans, very high resolution imagery) for activity data combined with ground measurements in active logging gaps/concessions and the gain-loss method for emission...

Well planned sampling designs and robust approaches to estimating uncertainty are critical components of forest monitoring. The importance of uncertainty estimation increases as deforestation and degradation issues become more closely tied to financing incentives for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the forest sector. Investors like to know risk and risk is tightly linked to uncertainty. Uncertainty assessment is also important for evaluating the implications of forest management actions, and it helps us identify and design future projects to reduce uncertainty.

Global interest in forest degradation is widespread – but is fraught with widely differing views. Forest degradation by one definition may be sustainable forest management by another. The Global Forest Resources Assessment, conducted by FAO every five years, is working to find an approach to a global estimation of forest area that can address these differing views. This approach is based on the use of MODIS VCS satellite data to evaluate significant forest canopy reduction over a ten year time span. Significance in this case will be calculated as a threshold (most likely 20%) reduction in...

Forest degradation is not just one of the cornerstones of "REDD+", it is a critical element for Lao PDR and other countries where the primary driver of forest carbon loss is selective logging and small-scale conversion of forest for agriculture rather than deforestation. Unless we can reliably and accurately quantify the area of degradation using remote sensing technology, REDD+ will not be viable. This is complicated by the need to separate degradation from other changes within forests that have effects similar to degradation, such as seasonal change in deciduous trees (e.g., dropping...

Forest degradation is defined as a change in forest quality and condition (e.g. reduction in biomass), while deforestation is a change in forest area. This pilot study evaluated several image processing approaches to map degradation and estimate carbon removals from logging. From the Joint Concept Note on REDD+ cooperation between Guyana and Norway carbon loss as indirect effect of new infrastructure is addressed as follows: "The establishment of new infrastructure in forest areas often contributes to forest carbon loss outside the areas directly affected by construction. Unless a larger...

Indonesia experiences the second highest rate of deforestation among tropical countries (FAO 2005, 2010). Consequently, timely and accurate forest data are required to combat deforestation and forest degradation in support of climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation policy initiatives. Remote sensing is considered as a significant data source for forest monitoring purposes, and has been widely used for monitoring deforestation and forest degradation. However, varying definitions have been an obstacle for optimizing the use of remote sensing for a reliable monitoring system,...

Although deforestation has been the main focus of international debate in REDD+, forest degradation could emit even more carbon emissions because forest degradation can take place in any accessible forest. Accounting for emission factors requires the use of stockchange or gain-loss approach depending on the forests in questions. Ground based field measurements are a critical basis for both approaches. Carbon stocks in logged forests could vary highly depending to some extent on logging intensity and collateral damages.

Tropical forests are diverse in terms of stand and age structures, commercial and biodiversity values of individually trees, and dependency of local communities. Monitoring forest degradation in the tropics remains a challenge despite increasing global interests in reducing carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and safeguarding biodiversity and local benefits. Monitoring forest degradation and related carbon emissions require understanding of selective logging practice and its decision in felling the trees. Based on data from 179 sample plots across three provinces in...

Perceptions of public forests’ acceptability can be infl uenced by aesthetic qualities, at both broad and project levels, aff ecting managers’ social license to act. Legal and methodological issues related to measuring and managing forest aesthetics in NEPA and NFMA decision-making are discussed. It is argued that conventional visual impact assessments—using descriptive pictorial qualities against a naturalistic scenery standard—have limitations as legal evidence, in addressing other popular aesthetic values, and helping public participation in planning processes. But such descriptive...