Volume 11, Issue 29, January - June, 2025

Comparative investigation of biomass carbon reserve under different management system in church and natural forests: Implications for mitigation of climate change impact

Tekola Aschalew, Tolera Motuma, Tamirat Teshome

Ethiopian Forestry Development, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

Forests are crucial for carbon storage and play a significant role in mitigating climate change. In Ethiopia, churches and monasteries have historically contributed to the planting, protection, and conservation of forests. This study investigates and compares biomass carbon reserves in church-managed forests and natural forests in the Bale Zone of Oromia Regional State. A systematic inventory was conducted, involving three parallel transect lines, each 90 meters long, with a total of sixty 20×20 meter plots divided equally between the two forest types. Measurements of tree height and diameter were taken for each species. Results showed significant differences in biomass carbon levels, with monastery forests demonstrating higher above-ground biomass (159 t/ha) and below-ground biomass (42 t/ha) compared to natural forests (105 t/ha and 27 t/ha, respectively). The total carbon biomass density was also greater in monastery forests (328.9 t/ha) than in natural forests (251 t/ha). These findings underscore the role of church and monastery forests in conserving biodiversity and employing traditional knowledge for effective forest management. In contrast, state-managed natural forests often face challenges due to inadequate management and local perceptions of them as open-access resources. The study concludes that the management approaches of monastery and church forests significantly influence their biomass potential, highlighting their importance for climate change mitigation.

Keywords: Algometric, Biomass, Carbon, Climate Change and Forest

Climate Change, 2025, 11(29), e4cc1059

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v11i29.e4cc1059

Published: 21 February 2025