Biomass, Carbon Stock and Economic Value of Carbon Sequestration Resulting from Forest and Landscape Restoration Actions in Semi-arid Ecosystems of Burkina Faso

Abstract

Plants contribute to mitigate global warming by capturing CO2 from the atmosphere to produce biomass. This study aims to quantify the carbon stock sequestered in woody biomass of managed ecosystems in the semi-arid part of Burkina Faso (West Africa), and assess the economic value of additional carbon sequestered. Study sites include one managed forest and three agricultural lands restored from degraded soil. Forest and landscape restoration activities have been implemented over several decades and include zaï, stone barriers, natural regeneration and tree planting. Woody plant biomass is estimated using allometric equations which have been adapted to the case study site species and ecological conditions. The managed forest of the case study has an estimated 19.3-40.8 t/ha of woody biomass after 45 years. This corresponds to 0.7-1.5 tonne of CO2 per hectare per year stored on average, i.e. a value of $575-7,243 per hectare per year at current carbon prices. Payments to land users for carbon storage services may help provide alternative livelihoods and incentives for reforestation effort.