ABOVEGROUND CARBON STOCK ESTIMATES OF RUBBER (Hevea brasiliensis) PLANTATION AT MAKILING FOREST RESERVE

ABOVEGROUND CARBON STOCK ESTIMATES OF RUBBER (Hevea brasiliensis) PLANTATION AT MAKILING FOREST RESERVE ARTURO SA. CASTILLO*and TOMAS D. REYES, JR.** * Associate Professor, Institute of Renewable Natural Resources (IRNR), College of Forestry and Natural Resources (CFNR), University of the Philippines Los Banos **Assistant Professor, Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, College of Agriculture and Forestry, Bohol Island State University (BISU), Bilar, Bohol INTRODUCTION Climate change is one of the primary concerns of humanity today (Lasco et al. 2002). The World’s forest is shrinking by 0.38% and converted to other land uses every year. In fact, according to FAO (2003), 23,260 km2 of forests are destroyed per year in Southeast Asia. Problems leading to poverty rise are even exacerbated by human-aggravated natural disasters. Plantations intended, not for timber but, for other purposes such as fruits and seed sources, and other non-timber products (one of which is latex production) have valuable role in relation to climate change. Similar with the forests, plantations can be sources and sinks of carbon. Its non-use value, carbon sequestration for instance, sometimes outweighs natural forests. Much of the carbon sequestration, according to Lasco and Pulhin (2003), is attributed to the existence of tree plantations with a sequestration rate of up to 15 t ha-1 yr-1. This study was conducted to determine the immense potential of rubber plantations in sequestering carbon in the MFR aside from the very purpose of establishing this plantation for latex and other uses. Specifically, it provided calculation of the amount of aboveground (tree) carbon based on recent available secondary data, and the assessment of the condition of the site. A nation-wide study is recommended to determine, quantify and value the potential environmental-social contributions and benefits of existing rubber plantations in the Philippines to mitigate climate change. METHODOLOGY Study Site Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) plantation in Mt. Makiling was established in 1961. Located in Zone 6 of Makiling Forest Reserve (MFR) 14.08 hectares (Almazan et al. 2000), which now totaled to 16 hectares after a series of replanting and expansion Type 1 climate, annual rainfall ranges from 2,481 to 2,681 mm (MBG Monitoring Station 2000), mean annual temperature ranges from 25.5 C to 27.5 C. ... - tailieumienphi.vn