| Popis: |
We use a joint production model of timber production and carbon sequestration to analyse the financially optimum silvicultural strategies and the costs of carbon sequestration for Scots pine at the stand level in Finland based on individual-tree growth models. This study expands the earlier analyses by taking into account thinnings as measures to increase carbon stocks in in forests, in addition to lengthening the rotation age. The results indicated that, in joint production, both the growing stock level and rotation length are increased. Postponing thinnings and reducing their intensity was more cost-effective in sequestering carbon than increasing the rotation length. The costs for moderate increases of carbon sequestration were rather low, with present values of 1-6/tonCO2, and they depended on the amount of carbon sequestered, initial stand age, site, and growing stock characteristics. For mature stands, the present value of costs to sequester a given amount of carbon was considerably higher, exceeding 20/tonCO2. This was due to the higher annual rate of carbon sequestration and the fact that all the additional sequestration had to be obtained by increasing the rotation. |
