Assessment of carbon stock and its relationships with forest conditions in the leasehold forest user groups: A case study from Nawalpur district Nepal

REDD+ (Reduced emission from the deforestation and forest degradation) program has resulted in investigations of forest carbon from local to global scale. Forests play an important role in mitigating climate change as they acts as major stores of carbon. Leasehold forestry (LF) is a participatory model of forest management whereby degraded forest are handed over to groups of poor household to improve forest condition and reduce poverty. Sowing of grasses, fodder species and the promotion of natural regeneration have contributed towards increased plant diversity in leasehold forests. These restored forests might increase the provision of environmental services including carbon sequestration. However studies that have quantified the carbon stocks of leasehold forests is lacking. This study aims to quantify the carbon stock of leasehold forests and analyze its relationship with forest characteristics. Our study will be carried out in Nawalpur district which has long history of leasehold forestry. A total of 10 leasehold forests will be selected and field level data will be collected from concentric sample plots by taking 0.5% sampling intensity . At each plot, field inventory will be carried out to collect data on biomass of leaf litter, herbs and grass, regeneration status (species and its number), sapling status (species and dbh) and status of trees (species name, dbh, height and quality). Evidence of disturbances (grazing, lopping and fire) present on the plot will be noted. From this data, above ground carbon stock of leasehold forest will be quantified using appropriate allometric equations. Forest condition will be assessed by calculating regeneration density, sapling density, tree density and plant species diversity. Further, the relationship of carbon stock with forest condition and disturbances will be examined using multiple regression models. This study will provide baseline information on carbon sequestration potential of leasehold forests which will help in realizing the role of leasehold forestry in mitigating climate change.