ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENT LOGGING METHODS ON CARBON STOCKS IN CENTRAL AFRICA

Abstract

There has been little in-depth research to date on logging impacts in Central Africa in terms of carbon emissions. The REDD mechanism (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation), has brought this topic to the forefront, with the increase in managed logging concessions and the spread of low-impact logging methods. The aim of this study was to make a meta-analysis covering different experiences reported in the literature. The data collected were applied to a hypothetical logging operation in order to produce a theoretical assessment of its impact on carbon stocks. Our results show that, based on the assumptions used, managed forestry in a conventional logging concession with no forward planning would reduce carbon losses by one tenth, with 10 to 20 m3 of timber extracted per hectare. Most of the carbon savings would result from an increase in the minimum logging diameter. The other gains from low-impact logging would result from improving the design of logging roads, i.e., 5 to 8% of carbon losses due to conventional logging practice. These gains are higher than the error found for the nearest reality measurements made for clear-felled biomass in French Guiana. However, they are much lower than the errors calculated for biomass estimations in several studies available in the literature. In any case, introducing development planning and low-impact logging techniques in timber concessions are able to induce a favourable difference to carbon stocks in Africa’s dense forests.