Climate change mitigation alternatives for the forest assets of the Sierra Cristal Agroforestry Company
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Abstract
Climate change mitigation through sustainable forest management is crucial to counteract greenhouse gas emissions. This study evaluated the carbon sequestration potential of the Sierra Cristal Agroforestry Company (Cuba) and proposed mitigation alternatives. A total of 21,882.1 ha of forests (natural and man-made) were analyzed using the SUMFOR v. 3.03 system to quantify carbon stored in biomass, necromass, and soil. The results showed that natural forests retained 3,119.8 Mt of carbon (equivalent to 19,826.4 Mt of CO₂), with pine forests being the most prevalent with 590.49 tC/ha. In plantations, Pinus cubensis had the highest carbon sequestration (369.94 tC/ha). The 10-year projection indicated an increase to 35,914.1 MtC under current management. Among the alternatives evaluated, increasing the Average Annual Increment (AAI) in man-made forests by 29% (50 ha/year) was the most effective, with a cost of $2,348.3/tCO₂ and a cumulative carbon of 36,444.1 MtC. It was concluded that natural forests are the largest carbon sinks and that AAI in plantations is the optimal strategy to maximize carbon sequestration at the lowest costs.
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References
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