DOCSLIB.ORG

An Investment Primer for Reforestation CARBON REMOVAL, ENVIRONMENTAL and SOCIAL IMPACTS, and FINANCIAL POTENTIAL

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
An Investment Primer for Reforestation CARBON REMOVAL, ENVIRONMENTAL and SOCIAL IMPACTS, and FINANCIAL POTENTIAL 1 An Investment Primer for Reforestation CARBON REMOVAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS, AND FINANCIAL POTENTIAL JANUARY 2020 1 CONTENTS Contents About CREO 2 Terms 3 Executive Summary 4 Background Forestry for Climate 6 Reforestation Investment Potential 9 - Investment Avenues 9 - Costs and Returns 10 Carbon Markets Regulatory Compliance 14 Voluntary 15 Corporate Offsetting 15 Summary 16 Timber and Non-Timber Forest Products Timber 18 Agroforestry 19 Summary 20 Restoration and Conservation Initiatives Direct Revenue Creation 22 Blended Finance 23 Catalytic Capital 24 Summary 24 Moving Forward 25 Appendix A: CREO Modelling Assumptions 26 Appendix B: Carbon Markets 27 Citations 28 2 ABOUT CREO About CREO The CREO Syndicate (“CREO”) is a 501c3 public charity founded by wealth owners and family offices with a mission to address the most pressing environmental challenges of our time affecting communities across the globe—climate change and resource scarcity. By catalyzing private capital and scaling innovative solutions, CREO is contributing to protecting and preserving the environment and accelerating the transition to a sustainable economy for the benefit of the public. CREO works closely with a broad set of global stakeholders, including Members (wealth owners, family offices, and family-owned enterprises), Friends (aligned investors such as pension funds), and Partners (government, not-for-profit organizations and academia), who collaboratively develop and invest in solutions across sectors, asset classes and geographies. CREO’s primary activities include 1) knowledge building; 2) relationship building among like-minded, values-aligned, long-term investors; 3) conducting select research to support the advancement of its mission; and 4) deal origination. 3 TERMS Terms Afforestation (AF): Planting and/or deliberate seeding on land not forested over the last 50 years. The terms afforestation and reforestation in modern times are often interchanged. In the context of this primer, afforestation is included within the reforestation discussion, though not specifically called out. Agroforestry: Intentional integration of trees and shrubs into agriculture and animal farming with a purpose of creating environmental, economic, and social benefits. This term is different from the concept of tree cultivation in monoculture formats as agroforestry integrates trees into another agricultural system with positive impact goals. Avoided Forest Conversion (AC): Protection of existing forests and grasslands from additional losses, especially from timber harvesting. Improved Forest Management (IFM): A set of practices that reduce the negative environmental and social effects and net emissions from forestry activities, such as timber harvesting. This concept includes better harvesting practices, the protection of ecologically important areas, and, in some cases, practices that encourage growth or regeneration. Reforestation (AF): Re-establishment of forest areas through planting or deliberate seeding that have less than 10% canopy after a temporary (less than 10 years) condition due to human-induced or natural disturbances. 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Executive Summary Reforestation requires patient capital due to large up-front capital requirements and comparatively long time horizons needed to grow trees. The goal of this primer is to help investors develop a reforestation investment strategy that incorporates carbon mitigation. This is done through comparisons to other types of forestry investment strategies and information about different investment opportunities that incorporate reforestation. Overall, impacts from reforestation on carbon, social, and environmental factors, as well as financial returns, will be regionally and ecologically specific. This primer is broken up into major revenue sources for an investment in reforestation with examples of projects from investors and companies. The following are discussed in this primer to highlight the current state of individual markets: • Carbon Markets: This section includes both compliance and voluntary markets. At current scale and demand, carbon markets do not incentivize reforestation in most geographies due to an unstable policy landscape and weak price signals. Some investors are optimistic that carbon prices will be more favorable in the future and there may be an early-mover advantage for beginning projects now. • Timber and Non-Timber Forest Products Markets: Currently, most reforestation projects involve some form of timber or product harvesting. This section also covers non-timber forest products, such as rubber or agroforestry. A reforestation and harvesting strategy with major carbon mitigation potential lies with harvesting timber and other products from reforestation instead of natural forests. • Restoration/Conservation Efforts: This section includes using tools, such as conservation easements that allow for landowners to set aside land for conservation, or blended finance models. The section also includes major regional and global initiatives that are catalyzing efforts for reforestation, such as the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative. These efforts highlight a mixed capital stack that is bringing in institutional and public resources to support scaling reforestation projects. Investors should expect a range of returns depending on the project’s revenue mix of carbon, timber and agriculture, additional sources, as well as forestry project factors, like species mix and growth rates, or varying costs for land and maintenance. Based on CREO’s comparative financial modeling, return expectations for a reforestation project with both timber and carbon revenues consisted of 8.1% unlevered IRR and 8.7% levered IRR over a 35-year project period. Other investors with combined reforestation projects mixed with timber or a portfolio that includes reforestation projects among other types of forestry find returns up to the mid-teens for 10-year to 20-year projects. 5 BACKGROUND Background With an increase in the importance of climate mitigation efforts over the past few years, so too came an increase in interest in carbon dioxide removal (CDR) within the CREO community. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) primers have pointed to the need for CDR as necessary to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. In alignment with this growing investor and scientific focus, CREO engaged in research into CDR solutions around technology and natural capital solutions around forests and agricultural soils. In thinking about reforestation as an alternative forestry strategy, reforestation presents one of the lowest cost solutions to carbon removal at scale, including technological solutions, that is ready for large scale capital deployment (the other is with soil carbon sequestration in agriculture). Since opportunities for investment in improved forest management and avoided forest conversion are already well-known and discussed elsewhere, this primer focuses on the current and potential ways that investors can fund reforestation projects. Combined forestry and land management is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet along with transportation and energy. The IPCC estimates Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) made up a third of emissions from 1750 to 2011 and 12% of emissions from 2000-2009. The wider carbon and general impact potential around reforestation, especially when compared to improved forest management and avoided forest conversion, must be noted. As with most land use projects, it is important to bear in mind the current state of the land, the potential of the land to support other uses, the impact and financial return priorities of an investor, and any potential climate feedbacks. A pool of carbon sequestering investment opportunities already exists in the forestry asset class. There are centuries of historical knowledge and improved investment models around this asset class. Ownership of forest lands in the US and Europe is generally an equal split between private and public landowners. Within the past couple of decades, though, high impact models for carbon sequestering forestry have emerged Many of the existing investments in the carbon sequestering space rely on existing carbon, timber, and conservation markets, which are currently skewed in favor of improved forest management and 6 BACKGROUND avoided forest conversion. This includes REDD+, a United Nations program to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, as well as fostering conservation, sustainable management of forests and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks. Within reforestation, an investor’s intended area of impact drives the type of reforestation project and therefore the ultimate source of revenue. Examples below highlight the different types of reforestation projects associated with the type of impact desired: IMPACT HABITAT AND CARBON WATER FOREST LOSS DESIRED BIODIVERSITY Planting focused on Commercial reforestation Restoring a native Reforesting riparian Reforestation biomass accumulation with the goal of timber or ecosystem to its natural areas across an entire project type with fast growing or high non-timber forest product condition watershed carbon storage systems harvesting that replaces the harvesting of natural ecosystems through: Conservation easements, Revenue Carbon offset credits, • Monoculture systems, hunting and fishing generation Carbon offset credits conservation easements, such as pine or licenses, biodiversity
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Agroforestry : Fact-Sheet
    Agroforestry fact sheet Agroforestry is the mixture of trees and crops in cultivated parcels. It was a traditional system in both tropical and temperate countries before agriculture intensification during the last century. Very recent results show that it may be a key option for the future of modern agriculture, including in temperate countries. 10 years ago, agroforestry was still ignored by farmers, foresters, policy makers of developed coun- tries. But times have changed. Agroforestry is an utmost example of ecological intensification : it in- creases land productivity and offers at the same time many environmental services. A French national scheme for planting half a million hectares of agroforestry during the next 25 years was based on res- ults obtained by INRA, Montpellier. A walnut – wheat agroforestry plot at the Restinclières farm, tree pruning time (left) Monitoring water sap flow through tap roots and superficial roots to document the hydraulic lift on walnut agroforestry trees (right) Increase of productivity with agroforestry The mix of trees and crops is the fundamental principle of agroforestry. INRA researchers showed that the production from one hectare of a walnut/wheat mix is the same as for 1.4 hectares with trees and crops separated. This is a 40% increase in productivity, far better than any other innovation intro- duced by agronomists in the recent past. This is achieved with an optimal 50 to 100 trees/hectare dens- ity, and an appropriate management of the system (tree line orientation, tree pruning regime, winter crops). Agroforestry trees grow very fast, faster than trees in forest plantations. Rightly associated and appropriately managed, trees and annual crops establish a synergy in the use of the vital resources of light, water and soil nutrients.
    [Show full text]
  • Reforestation: Likely Working on Certification, an Emerg- Nations Secretary-General’S Climate Ing Concept That Sought to Set Third Summit
    18 www.taylorguitars.com [Sustainability] arrived in Washington, D.C. in well over a decade, but in 2014 the 1993 and began my professional concept took a twist when govern- career working in environmental ments, private companies, and civil Ipolitics. Anyone involved with interna- society groups signed the New York tional forest policy in the 1990s was Declaration of Forests at the United Reforestation: likely working on certification, an emerg- Nations Secretary-General’s Climate ing concept that sought to set third Summit. The Declaration is a voluntary, from POLITICS to PLANTING party management standards for active non-legally binding pledge to halve the forestry operations. The idea was (and rate of deforestation by 2020, to end still is) that a consumer would choose a it by 2030, and to restore hundreds With Taylor embarking on reforestation efforts product that had an ecolabel over one of millions of acres of degraded land. that did not, if it assured you that the A year later, in 2015, largely due to in Cameroon and Hawaii, Scott Paul explains the product originated from a well-managed pressure from activist organizations, forest. Think Gifford Pinchot meets the literally hundreds of companies involved politics of forest restoration and why Taylor’s Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. in the Southeast Asian palm oil trade timing might be ideal. The Forest Stewardship Council was announced some sort of new policy. born at this time, and for a decade Looking back at these two events, it’s certification overshadowed much of the fair to say that while lofty words do not global forest policy dialogue.
    [Show full text]
  • Reforestation Forester Work Location: Ukiah, CA
    Position Description Position Title: Reforestation Forester Work Location: Ukiah, CA The Mendocino Family of Companies (Mendocino Forest Products Company, Mendocino Redwood Company, Humboldt Redwood Company, Humboldt Sawmill Company, and Allweather Wood), is a leading manufacturer and distributor of environmentally certified redwood, Douglas-fir, and preservative treated lumber products throughout California and the Western U.S. Our culture is based in environmental stewardship and community support. The company maintains Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC® C013133) certification for its forestlands, manufacturing, and distribution operations. Mendocino Redwood Company, LLC (MRC) located in Ukiah, CA is seeking a Reforestation Forester to join our forestry team. This is a full-time position that involves working closely with the Forest Manager for the purpose of meeting forest stewardship and business objectives. Relocation help is available! Summary Direct responsibility for tree planting from inception to free-to-grow status, including all facets of vegetation management and materials sourcing. These activities must 1.) Comply with all applicable state and federal laws; 2.) Produce the desired rate of return on investments; 3.) Be conducted safely, and 4.) Be deployed in a manner that is consistent with the Company’s core values and consistent with the requirements of its Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. Ensuring prompt reforestation and state certification of compliance with required stocking standards is key to achieving sustained yield harvest levels and financial objectives. Duties and Responsibilities To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
    [Show full text]
  • Course Handout for Introduction to Forest Gardening
    COURSE HANDOUT FOR INTRODUCTION TO FOREST GARDENING Complied by Jess Clynewood and Rich Wright Held at Coed Hills Rural Art Space 2010 ETHICS AND PRINCIPLES OF PERMACULTURE Care for the Earth v Care for the people v Fair shares PRINCIPLES Make the least change for the greatest effect v Mistakes are tools for learning v The only limits to the yield of a system are imagination and understanding Observation – Protracted and thoughtful observation rather than prolonged and thoughtless action. Observation is a key tool to re-learn. We need to know what is going on already so that we don’t make changes we will later regret. Use and value diversity - Diversity allows us to build a strong web of beneficial connections. Monocultures are incredibly fragile and prone to pests and diseases – diverse systems are far more robust and are intrinsically more resilient. Relative Location and Beneficial Connections – View design components not in isolation but as part of a holistic system. Place elements to maximise their potential to create beneficial connections with other elements. Multi-functional Design – Try and gain as many yields or outputs from each element in your design as possible. Meet every need in multiple ways, as many elements supporting each important function creates stability and resilience. Perennial systems – minimum effort for maximum gain Create no waste - The concept of waste is essentially a reflection of poor design. Every output from one system could become the input to another system. We need to think cyclically rather than in linear systems. Unmet needs = work, unused output = pollution. Stacking – Make use of vertical as well as horizontal space, filling as many niches as possible.
    [Show full text]
  • Agroforestry Systems and Their Contribution to Supplying Forest Products to Communities in the Chure Range, Central Nepal
    Article Agroforestry Systems and Their Contribution to Supplying Forest Products to Communities in the Chure Range, Central Nepal Deepa Khadka 1,*, Anisha Aryal 2 , Kishor Prasad Bhatta 1 , Bed Prakash Dhakal 1 and Himlal Baral 3,4 1 Faculty of Forest Science and Forest Ecology, Georg-August-Universität, Busgenweg 5, 37077 Goettingen, Germany; [email protected] (K.P.B.); [email protected] (B.P.D.) 2 Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Technische Universität Dresden, 01737 Dresden, Germany; [email protected] 3 Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Jalan CIFOR, Situ Gede, Bogor 16115, Indonesia; [email protected] 4 School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Agroforestry (AF), an integration of agricultural and/or pastureland and trees, is a powerful tool for the maximization of profit from a small unit of land; however, it has been less well explored and recognized by existing policies. AF could be the best approach to conserving the fragile soils of Chure and to supplying subsistence needs to the local people. This study endeavored to understand how the adoption of various AF practices contributed to people’s livelihoods in the Bakaiya rural municipality of Makawanpur District. To achieve this, 5 focus group discussions, 10 key informant interviews and 100 household surveys were conducted. These were analyzed using various statistical Citation: Khadka, D.; Aryal, A.; analysis tools: Kruskal–Wallis test, Games–Howell post hoc comparison test and Wilcoxon test. Bhatta, K.P.; Dhakal, B.P.; Baral, H.
    [Show full text]
  • Biochar Effects on Soil Physiochemical Properties in Degraded Managed Ecosystems in Northeastern Bangladesh
    Article Biochar Effects on Soil Physiochemical Properties in Degraded Managed Ecosystems in Northeastern Bangladesh Md. Rezaul Karim 1 , Md Abdul Halim 1,2,* , Nigel V. Gale 2 and Sean C. Thomas 2 1 Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh; [email protected] 2 Institute of Forestry and Conservation, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto, 33 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3B3, Canada; [email protected] (N.V.G.); [email protected] (S.C.T.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 18 October 2020; Accepted: 24 November 2020; Published: 27 November 2020 Abstract: A body of emerging research shows the promise of charcoal soil amendments (“biochars”) in restoring fertility in degraded agricultural and forest soils. “Sustainable biochars” derived from locally produced waste biomass and produced near the application site are of particular interest. We tested the effects of surface applications of wood-derived biochars (applied at 7.5 t ha 1) on soil · − physiochemical properties (N, P, K, pH, soil moisture content, organic matter content, and bulk density) in three land-use types: agriculture (Camellia sinensis monoculture), agroforestry (C. sinensis with shade trees), and secondary forest (Dipterocarpus dominated) assessed over seven months. We found significant positive effects of biochar on soil physiochemical properties in all land-use types, with the strongest responses in the most degraded tea monoculture sites. Although biochar had no significant effect on soil N and K, it improved soil P—the primary nutrient most commonly limiting in tropical soils.
    [Show full text]
  • Afforestation and Reforestation - Michael Bredemeier, Achim Dohrenbusch
    BIODIVERSITY: STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION – Vol. II - Afforestation and Reforestation - Michael Bredemeier, Achim Dohrenbusch AFFORESTATION AND REFORESTATION Michael Bredemeier Forest Ecosystems Research Center, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany Achim Dohrenbusch Institute for Silviculture, University of Göttingen, Germany Keywords: forest ecosystems, structures, functions, biomass accumulation, biogeochemistry, soil protection, biodiversity, recovery from degradation. Contents 1. Definitions of terms 2. The particular features of forests among terrestrial ecosystems 3. Ecosystem level effects of afforestation and reforestation 4. Effects on biodiversity 5. Arguments for plantations 6. Political goals of afforestation and reforestation 7. Reforestation problems 8. Afforestation on a global scale 9. Planting techniques 10. Case studies of selected regions and countries 10.1. China 10.2. Europe 11. Conclusion Glossary Bibliography Biographical Sketches Summary Forests are rich in structure and correspondingly in ecological niches; hence they can harbour plentiful biological diversity. On a global scale, the rate of forest loss due to human interference is still very high, currently ca. 10 Mha per year. The loss is highest in the tropics; in some tropical regions rates are alarmingly high and in some virtually all forestUNESCO has been destroyed. In this situat– ion,EOLSS afforestation appears to be the most significant option to counteract the global loss of forest. Plantation of new forests is progressing overSAMPLE an impressive total area wo rldwideCHAPTERS (sum in 2000: 187 Mha; rate ca. 4.5 Mha.a-1), with strong regional differences. Forest plantations seem to have the potential to provide suitable habitat and thus contribute to biodiversity conservation in many situations, particularly in problem areas of the tropics where strong forest loss has occurred.
    [Show full text]
  • Role of MDF & Particleboard Industry in Protection of Natural Forests and Promotion of Agroforestry in Pakistan
    Role of MDF & Particleboard Industry in Protection of Natural Forests and Promotion of Agroforestry in Pakistan TABLE OF CONTENTS 5. Findings 16 5.1 Area Covered in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh 16 5.2 Contribution of Billion Tree Afforestation Project (BTAP) in Agro-forestry of 16 the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 5.3 Total number of trees in farmlands of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and 19 Sindh 5.4 Available Trees Stock per hectare on farmlands in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 19 Punjab and Sindh 5.5 Available Growing Stock on farmlands by Volume and Weight 20 5.6 Species-wise yield per hectare on farmlands 20 5.7 Projected Growing Stock available in Future in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, 20 and Sindh 5.8 Species-wise Composition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh 21 5.9 Overall Carbon Fraction for the Available Stock 24 5.10 Agroforestry wood consumption pattern in Pakistan 24 5.11 Cost-Benefit Analysis of Agro-Forestry (Eucalyptus plantation) with other 25 Cash Crops 5.12 Cost-Benefit Analysis of Agro-Forestry (Acacia nilotica, Kikar) in Hurry 26 Plantation with other Cash Crops 6. Farmers Perception about Agro-forestry / Farm-forestry 28 6.1 Aims/objectives of agro-forestry plantations 28 6.2 Constraints faced by farmers in agro-forestry / farm forestry 28 6.3 The willingness of farmers to grow trees on farmlands in future 29 7. Role of MDF and Particleboard Industries in Protection of Natural Forests 29 8. Conclusion 30 9. Recommendations 31 9.1 Policymakers 31 9.2 Wood-based industries 31 9.3 Farmers 31 10.
    [Show full text]
  • Agroforestry Benefits and Challenges for Adoption in Europe and Beyond
    sustainability Review Agroforestry Benefits and Challenges for Adoption in Europe and Beyond Maya Sollen-Norrlin 1, Bhim Bahadur Ghaley 2 and Naomi Laura Jane Rintoul 1,* 1 School of Psychology and Life Sciences, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury CT1 1TE, UK; [email protected] 2 Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, 2630 Taastrup, Denmark; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 3 July 2020; Accepted: 18 August 2020; Published: 27 August 2020 Abstract: Soil degradation is a global concern, decreasing the soil’s ability to perform a multitude of functions. In Europe, one of the leading causes of soil degradation is unsustainable agricultural practices. Hence, there is a need to explore alternative production systems for enhanced agronomic productivity and environmental performance, such as agroforestry systems (AFS). Given this, the objective of the study is to enumerate the major benefits and challenges in the adoption of AFS. AFS can improve agronomic productivity, carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, soil biodiversity, water retention, and pollination. Furthermore, they can reduce soil erosion and incidence of fire and provide recreational and cultural benefits. There are several challenges to the adoption and uptake of AFS in Europe, including high costs for implementation, lack of financial incentives, limited AFS product marketing, lack of education, awareness, and field demonstrations. Policies for financial incentives such as subsidies and payments for ecosystem services provided by AFS must be introduced or amended. Awareness of AFS products must be increased for consumers through appropriate marketing strategies, and landowners need more opportunities for education on how to successfully manage diverse, economically viable AFS.
    [Show full text]
  • RSPB CENTRE for CONSERVATION SCIENCE RSPB CENTRE for CONSERVATION SCIENCE Where Science Comes to Life
    RSPB CENTRE FOR CONSERVATION SCIENCE RSPB CENTRE FOR CONSERVATION SCIENCE Where science comes to life Contents Knowing 2 Introducing the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science and an explanation of how and why the RSPB does science. A decade of science at the RSPB 9 A selection of ten case studies of great science from the RSPB over the last decade: 01 Species monitoring and the State of Nature 02 Farmland biodiversity and wildlife-friendly farming schemes 03 Conservation science in the uplands 04 Pinewood ecology and management 05 Predation and lowland breeding wading birds 06 Persecution of raptors 07 Seabird tracking 08 Saving the critically endangered sociable lapwing 09 Saving South Asia's vultures from extinction 10 RSPB science supports global site-based conservation Spotlight on our experts 51 Meet some of the team and find out what it is like to be a conservation scientist at the RSPB. Funding and partnerships 63 List of funders, partners and PhD students whom we have worked with over the last decade. Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com) Conservation rooted in know ledge Introduction from Dr David W. Gibbons Welcome to the RSPB Centre for Conservation The Centre does not have a single, physical Head of RSPB Centre for Conservation Science Science. This new initiative, launched in location. Our scientists will continue to work from February 2014, will showcase, promote and a range of RSPB’s addresses, be that at our UK build the RSPB’s scientific programme, helping HQ in Sandy, at RSPB Scotland’s HQ in Edinburgh, us to discover solutions to 21st century or at a range of other addresses in the UK and conservation problems.
    [Show full text]
  • Ramping up Reforestation in the United States: a Guide for Policymakers March 2021 Cover Photo: CDC Photography / American Forests
    Ramping up Reforestation in the United States: A Guide for Policymakers March 2021 Cover photo: CDC Photography / American Forests Executive Summary Ramping Up Reforestation in the United States: A Guide for Policymakers is designed to support the development of reforestation policies and programs. The guide highlights key findings on the state of America’s tree nursery infrastructure and provides a range of strategies for encouraging and enabling nurseries to scale up seedling production. The guide builds on a nationwide reforestation assessment (Fargione et al., 2021) and follow-on assessments (Ramping Up Reforestation in the United States: Regional Summaries companion guide) of seven regions in the contiguous United States (Figure 1). Nursery professionals throughout the country informed our key findings and strategies through a set of structured interviews and a survey. Across the contiguous U.S., there are over 133 million acres of reforestation opportunity on lands that have historically been forested (Cook-Patton et al., 2020). This massive reforestation opportunity equals around 68 billion trees. The majority of opportunities occur on pastureland, including those with poor soils in the Eastern U.S. Additionally, substantial reforestation opportunities in the Western U.S. are driven by large, severe wildfires. Growing awareness of this potential has led governments and organizations to ramp up reforestation to meet ambitious climate and biodiversity goals. Yet, there are many questions about the ability of nurseries to meet the resulting increase in demand for tree seedlings. These include a lack of seed, workforce constraints, and insufficient nursery infrastructure. To meet half of the total reforestation opportunity by 2040 (i.e., 66 million acres) would require America’s nurseries to produce an additional 1.8 billion seedlings each year.
    [Show full text]
  • Alternatives to Slash-And-Burn in Indonesia Tropical Forests in Asia, Africa and Latin America Are Being the Peneplain Rapidly Transformed Through Slash-And-Burn
    Alternatives to Slash-And-Burn In Indonesia Tropical forests in Asia, Africa and Latin America are being the peneplain rapidly transformed through slash-and-burn. Traditionally, slash- zone of and-burn is a system for land use — shifting cultiva-tion — Sumatra is based on alternating food cropping periods with periods of ASB’s focus of regrowth of vegetation (fallow). Increasing population pressure interest, with has shortened the fallow periods dramatically, making the research sites system unsustainable in many areas. in Jambi (low population Slash-and-burn is also a technique to convert forests into density, forest permanent agricultural land, or into other land use practices, margin) and North Lampung (high population density on similar including large-scale tree crops (rubber, oil palm, timber). In soil, degraded lands). Associated research is carried out in Asia, shifting cultivation is becoming less common and much of West Lampung (Krui) and West Kalimantan. The Mae Chaem the slash-and-burn is related to permanent conversion of forests watershed in Thailand, and Claveria and Lantapan in the by smallholders, large operators and government-sponsored Philippines, were also chosen as ASB benchmark sites. resettlement projects. The consequences of this are devastating, in terms of climate change, soil erosion and degradation, watershed degradation You can contact ICRAF at: and loss of biodiversity. The Alternatives to Slash-and-Burn Southeast Asia Regional Research Programme Programme is built around two issues — the global environ- Jl. CIFOR, Situ Gede, Sindang Barang, Bogor 16680 mental effects of slash-and-burn and the technological and PO Box 161, Bogor 16001, Indonesia policy options to alleviate those effects.
    [Show full text]