Variation in Productivity, Carbon Sequestration and CO2 Mitigation of Community Forests in Kumaun Himalaya, India

This research illustrates various aspects related to productivity, carbon content, and the mitigation of community forests in the Kumaun Himalayan forest, India. The bulk density, pH, organic matter and carbon of soil ranged from 0.9–1.1 g cm–3, 5.6–6.5, 1.1–1.3 %, and 0.67–0.78%, respectively. The vegetation layer is ordered by density: Tree, shrub and herb. While the stock of vegetation biomass and NPP of forest varies 177.08±35.83 – 434.75±28.23 mg/ha and 6.72±1.41 – 13.79±1.59 mg/ha/yr. Among these, tree biomass and NPP accounted for 25.20–56.15% and 61.01–83.39%, respectively. The forest floor litter biomass was 2.57±0.45 – 2.75±1.00 mg/ha. The stock of vegetation carbon and sequestration of community forests was between 87.30±17.61 – 209.52±14.16 mg/c/ha, and 3.19±0.67 – 6.55±0.75 mg/c/ha/yr, respectively. However, vegetation’s total CO2 mitigation was 11.71±2.45 – 24.03±2.77 mg CO2/ha/yr, of which the tree layer contributed 61.01 – 83.39%. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the studied forest is mitigating a low amount of carbon compared to other previous studies. This is due to unsustainable exploitation of forest resources by rural communities, degraded forest conditions and lack of prudent scientific forest management inputs. Thus, it has indicated that there is an urgent need for scientific inputs in conserving, protecting and managing the existing forest conditions regarding productivity and carbon mitigation.