Estimating Carbon Storage in Southern Ontario Forests at Regional and Stand Levels Danijela Puric-Mladenovic,1 Jenny Gleeson,2 and Gary Nielsen3

Introduction

Efforts aimed at mitigating global climate change recognize land use and forestry activities as relatively low cost options that enhance terrestrial carbon storage and help reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Forests store large amounts of carbon in living and dead biomass and in soils through the processes of photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition. Besides afforestation, other forest mitigation opportunities exist that can both avoid forest degradation and loss and improve the condition of existing forests through sustainable management. These opportunities can be realized through a range of actions, including forest conservation, enhancement of forest diversity, and improvement of forest structure and composition (IPCC 2007, Ryan et al. 2010).

1 Natural Heritage Information Centre, Science and Research Branch, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, Ontario 2 Climate Change Program, Strategic and Aboriginal Policy Branch, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, Ontario 3 Integration Branch, Regional Operations Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, Ontario

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As Ontario develops a cap-and-trade system and a complementary offsets program involving forestry projects, forest conservation and enhanced forest management activities may become more attractive to private landowners and conservation groups as a potential new land-management revenue stream. The nearly 1.2 million hectares of forests in southern Ontario is divided into forest fragments and woodlots with different sizes and landowners. Considering the ecological, geographic, and ownership fragmentation, it is necessary to explore carbon estimates at both local (e.g., stand or property level) and regional scales to assess how field inventories and estimates at these different scales may support the development of forest carbon offset projects. Several existing offset programs (e.g., British Columbia Forest Carbon Offset and Climate Action Reserve Forest Project Protocols) have protocols in place to quantify, monitor, and report the amount of carbon from forestry projects to verify and support the sale of offset credits.

When considering the potential application for a forest carbon offset protocol in southern Ontario where there are diverse local and regional inventory needs, it would be advantageous to build upon available and proven forest inventory and monitoring methods. The Vegetation Sampling Protocol (VSP) is an inventory and monitoring protocol with a wide range of applications and spatial implementation across southern Ontario that can quantify baselines for forest carbon offset projects. VSP was designed to be used across different spatial and temporal scales to support diverse management, planning, and conservation needs. VSP data collection methods meet or exceed the standards for estimating carbon pools identified in both the British Columbia and Climate Action Reserve forest protocols.

This study is a practical demonstration of how VSP can be used to support forest carbon storage estimates in southern Ontario. Using VSP data, it presents preliminary estimates of carbon stored at stand and regional levels in Bruce Peninsula, eastern Ontario, and the Lake Simcoe watershed and estimates the average forest carbon per hectare in southern Ontario using data from VSP plots from across the region (Puric-Mladenovic and Clark 2010).

Regional carbon estimates that inform baseline conditions could be used to support carbon offset projects at the property level or to encourage landowners to engage in aggregated carbon offset collectives. The Climate Action Reserve’s Forest Project Protocol (CARFPP) requires that enhanced forest management projects on private land use common practice values to calculate carbon storage baselines (Climate Action

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Reserve 2012). Common practice refers to the average carbon stocks in aboveground live trees on private lands across the entire area within which a project is situated. In the context of the United States, for which the CARFPP currently applies, the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis Program provides the inventory data required to determine common practice. Regional carbon storage estimates could be integrated into long-term landscape and land-use planning. Estimates could also be used to identify, target, and offer support to landowners with good practices or those who could benefit from enhanced forest management and forest conservation measures.

Figure 1. VSP plot-based field data can be used to estimate carbon storage at the landscape and stand levels.

Vegetation Sampling Protocol

The vision behind VSP is to provide a “framework for forest inventory, reporting, and monitoring,” while collecting information that supports science, research, and various practical needs in southern Ontario (Puric-Mladenovic et al. 2010, Day and Puric-Mladenovic 2012).

VSP collects data on tree species and sizes using diameter at breast height (DBH), plant abundance and environmental disturbance information within fixed-area (400 m2) forest plots (Puric-Mladenovic and Kenney 2015). The information collected is

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multipurpose and relevant to local and regional scale applications. It can be also combined with spatial and remotely sensed information. An important feature of VSP is the collection of high-accuracy geographic coordinates that are linked with all VSP modules and data collected. The precise geographic location of a VSP fixed-area plot enables field data to be combined with spatial and remotely sensed information (e.g., lidar data, spectral imagery, air photos) to extrapolate and model field observations and derivatives across larger areas.

Given that field sampling in southern Ontario is done by many different groups— including different levels of government, non-governmental organizations, conservation authorities, academic groups, consultants, and landowners—VSP is a rigorous standard that is efficient and easy to implement. To date, it has been used to support: inventory needs for species-at-risk habitat description and mapping; invasive species inventory, predictive modeling, and mapping; climate change monitoring; natural cover monitoring; and other uses (Sherman 2015, Puric-Mladenovic et al. 2012).

Methods

To estimate forest carbon baseline conditions, several forest carbon offset protocols (e.g., Climate Action Reserve’s Forest Project Protocol (CARFPP), the British Columbia Draft Forest Carbon Offset Protocol) have identified forest system components that have the ability to accumulate and release carbon. The two protocols have identified the following carbon pools: standing aboveground live trees; standing belowground live trees; standing dead wood; lying dead wood; shrubs; herbaceous understory; and litter, duff, and soil. When calculating carbon in standing live trees, it is mandatory to include above- and belowground biomass and standing dead wood. This study used selected VSP data to estimate these carbon pools. Five other carbon pools (lying dead wood, shrubs, herbaceous understory, and litter, duff, and soil) are sampled only when it cannot be proven that the amount of carbon stored in a particular pool does not affect the project baseline.

Estimates of above- and belowground biomass of standing live trees are derived from VSP tree species and diameter measurements and available diameter-based allometric formulas (Puric-Mladenovic et al. 2010). Diameter-based allometric formulas are

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practical as they use easily measured variables to estimate biomass in a consistent and reliable way (Wang 2006).

There are a number of different diameter-based allometric formulas that can be used to derive dry biomass from tree measurements in southern Ontario (Puric-Mladenovic et al. 2010, Lambert et al. 2005, Ter-Mikaelian and Korzukhin 1997, and Jenkins et al. 2003). The diameter-based species-specific formulae as per Lambert et al. (2005) were used as to estimate biomass for all the case studies presented in this paper. Lambert et al. (2005) produced national tree biomass equations for Canada that have been used in various studies. These formulas are relevant to major tree species and abiotic conditions present in southern Ontario and were derived from extensive data sets with many observations in Ontario and Quebec. The formulas support calculations of dry biomass of four tree components (wood, bark, branches, and foliage) based on two types of allometric equations—one based on tree diameter measured at 1.3 meters above the ground (DBH) only and the other based on DBH and tree heights. The formula used with VSP tree species and DBH data was

biomasscomponent= βcomponent1×Dβcomponent2+ecomponent

where: biomasscomponent is biomass measured in dry kilograms; D is tree diameter at breast height (cm); βcomponent(n) P

are model parameters, and ecomponent are error terms

(Lambert et al. 2005). This formula enabled the computation of dry biomass from VSP data where estimates of individual components (wood, bark, foliage, and branches) were summed to calculate the total aboveground biomass.

In addition, live underground root biomass—a significant component of live biomass and a mandatory carbon pool—was estimated based on aboveground biomass multiplied by a conversion factor of 0.2. The literature suggests that the biomass of larger non–annual tree roots (> 2 mm in diameter) is close to 20% of the total aboveground biomass (Ponce-Hernandez et al. 2004, Santantonio et al. 1977, MacDicken 1997).

From the total dry biomass (the sum of the live above- and belowground biomass), the carbon content was estimated by a commonly used 0.475 conversion factor (Chen et al. 2011, Jenkins et. al 2003, IPCC 2006, McGroddy et al. 2004, Raich et al. 1991). Once estimates of live forest carbon were calculated, it was necessary to estimate a carbon dioxide (CO2) stock. Using the conversion factor of 3.67, based on the molecular weight

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of CO2 and the molecular weight of carbon, carbon estimates were converted to CO2 estimates (Walker et al. 2011).

Although estimating carbon sequestration from VSP data was not an objective of this study, the relationship between VSP data, carbon stocks, and forest management is briefly discussed. Carbon sequestration could be simply explained as the amount of CO2 taken in by a forest. However, the sequestration process is more complex than this and is influenced by tree and forest age, species composition, site productivity, and environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, number of growing days, type of soil) (Gough et al. 2008, Rattan and Lorenz 2012). For example, CO2 sequestration rates for Ontario plantations up to 20 years old were estimated to be approximately 5.7 t CO2/ha/y (Gleeson et al. 2009, Parker et al. 2009). Other references indicate differences in CO2 sequestration between younger and older stands and between forest types. For example, in northeastern North America, 25-year-old maple-beech-birch forests sequester 1.14 t CO2/ha/y, while 120-year-old forests sequester 2.52 t CO2/ha/y. Similarly, 25-year-old white and red pine forests sequester 6.34 t CO2/ha/y, while 120-year-old forests sequester 4.85 t CO2/ha/y (Sampson and Hair 1996). However, once carbon stock is determined for a stand and its age is known, it is possible to get an estimate of carbon sequestration per year per hectare. For example, if CO2 stored by a forest is 386 t/ha and the forest is 150 years old, an approximate sequestration rate averaged for all years is 2.6 t CO2/ha/y.

Vegetation sampling protocol data

VSP offers a spatially distributed, robust, up-to-date, and large quantity of vegetation information for southern Ontario. Subsets of VSP plots were used for this study to demonstrate VSP application to potential carbon offset projects at the stand level in eastern Ontario and the Lake Simcoe watershed and to show how a regional plot network could be used to model carbon across larger landscapes in northern Bruce Peninsula. In addition, a larger set of plots from eastern Ontario, the Lake Simcoe watershed, Bruce Peninsula, Niagara Escarpment, and the cities of Toronto and Kitchener was used to estimate the average biomass and carbon per hectare of forest in southern Ontario to gain an understanding of the amount of carbon stored in forests across the region.

In eastern Ontario, sampling was done in partnership with the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Eastern Ontario Model Forest in 2010. To support sampling design,

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forests and stands in each of the sampled properties (Creelman and Salkeld, Dolan, Goodfellow, Goulding East, Manning and Macpherson) were outlined and mapped based on digital leaf-off orthophotography. Stand boundaries were delineated using geographic information system (GIS) polygons based on visual characteristics of forests with a relatively uniform canopy composition. Considering the limitations of the digital leaf-off orthophotography, stand boundaries were digitized to capture coarse forest characteristics such as coniferous vs. deciduous forests or mature vs. younger forests. These outlined and mapped stands were used as sampling strata. For each of the strata, a number of VSP plot locations were randomly chosen using GIS and the Generate Random Points tool in Hawth’s tools. Plots were no closer than 15 m from the stands’ edge (15 m from the exterior forest edge and interior stand-type boundary) and at least 75 m apart from each other. For all eastern Ontario properties, but the Dolan Certified forest, one point per hectare for each stand and strata was produced. For the Dolan Certified forest property, which was larger than others, one plot was created per 1.5 ha.

In the Lake Simcoe watershed, a set of VSP plots were sampled as part of this study and to support the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan (LSPP 2009). Sampling was completed on Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) properties, including Pangman Springs Conservation Area, Thornton Bales Conservation Area, Scanlon Creek Conservation Area, Baldwin Dam, Porritt and Scout tracts within the York Regional Forest, Happy Valley Forest (held privately by Nature Conservancy of Canada), and Joker’s Hill (owned by the University of Toronto). In addition, a private property in the Regional Municipality of York, just south of Scanlon Creek at Old Yonge Street (Poulat 2014) and a set of plots on Georgina Island (in partnership with LSRCA and the First Nations on Georgina Island) were sampled to demonstrate carbon offset applications of VSP at a fine scale. To guide this sampling, a systematic grid across all sampling sites was generated using GIS. The grid was based on a random start; depending on property size, the plot locations were apart at either 250 m or 500 m. A few pre-defined forests plots that landed outside of forested areas (e.g., along a trail, forest edge) were moved within the canopy and their replacements randomly placed within the stands.

Regional-scale carbon storage estimates were developed for the northern Bruce Peninsula (Eco-district 6e14) using VSP data and predictive modeling and mapping (Puric-Mladenovic et al. 2010). Three allometric formulas (Jenkins et al. 2003, Lambert

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et al. 2005, and Ter-Mikaelian and Korzukhin 1997) were applied to the landscape estimate of live aboveground forest biomass to demonstrate the difference in biomass and carbon estimates between formulas and to stress the importance of agreeing on a set of allometric formulas to support future carbon offset projects.

Preliminary estimates of average carbon stocks in southern Ontario forests were completed using an average value of live biomass per hectare derived from VSP plots and extrapolating that information to forest area using Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests’ (OMNRF 2015) Southern Ontario Land Resource Information System (SOLRIS) mapping. Biomass per hectare was derived from the 1413 VSP plots sampled in eastern Ontario, the Lake Simcoe watershed, Bruce Peninsula, Niagara Escarpment, and the cities of Toronto and Kitchener. The majority of plots were sampled using a random sampling design. As a result, there are plots represented in mature, mid-age, and very young successional forest and rock barrens. The dry biomass estimates were based on allometric formulas by Lambert at al. (2005). The average t CO2/ha was used to estimate total carbon stock in southern Ontario and can also be applied across different geographic areas such as eco-districts and watersheds.

Results and discussion

Stand-level carbon estimates: Eastern Ontario and Lake Simcoe properties

Forests sampled in eastern Ontario stored 198 t CO2/ha on average, while forests sampled in the Lake Simcoe watershed stored 316.4 t CO2/ha (Table 1, Figure 2). Higher storage rates in the Lake Simcoe watershed are attributed to site productivity and influences of properties that were selected for the study.4 While the selection of properties for demonstrating the value and applicability of the VSP protocol and data to carbon offset projects were in some cases opportunistic or preferential, the sample plot

4 For example, the stands in eastern Ontario (except the Dolan property, which is an actively managed forest) are mainly early successional and second-growth forests acquired by the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Therefore, these averages for both regions should not be interpreted outside these properties or beyond the objectives of this study to demonstrate the application of the VSP protocol.

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locations within forest stands were random and indicate how biomass and carbon stocks vary.

Variation in live carbon stock (C) between properties was observed (Table 1, Figure 2). In eastern Ontario properties, live carbon (C) stored ranged from 16 and 104 t/ha. Even within properties, significant variation in storage rates was observed. For example, the Dolan property in eastern Ontario averaged 104 t/ha in live ground biomass; however, some pockets within the stand had carbon stocks as high as 222 t/ha. Similarly, the Manning and Macpherson property averaged carbon storage 16 t /ha, varying from 1.6 to 41.8 t /ha. The large range in storage rates is influenced by forest type and structure, site productivity, history of land use, and current forest management. While the Dolan property is predominantly managed as a mature sugar maple forest, the Manning and Macpherson property is predominately a mid-successional forest with some thickets.

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Table 1. Total live biomass, carbon, and CO2 estimates for sampled forest in Eastern Ontario and the Lake Simcoe watershed. Biomass estimates are based on allometric formulas from Lambert et al. (2005).

Property Forest size (ha)

Above- ground

live biomass

(t/ha)

Below- ground

live biomass

(t/ha)

Live biomass

(t/ha)

Total live biomass

per property

(t)

Live carbon (t/ha)

Total live carbon

per property

(t)

(t CO2

CO2/ha) Total

CO2 per property (t CO2)

Creelman & Salkeld

13.5 98.9 19.8 118.7 1,602 55 761 203.4 2,793

Dolan 24.9 186.0 37.2 223.2 5,566 104 2,644 382.6 9,703

Goodfellow 18.6 143.9 28.8 172.6 3,217 81 1,528 295.9 5,609

Goulding East

17.2 65.5 13.1 78.7 1,355 37 644 134.8 2,363

Manning & Macpherson

12.9 28.8 5.8 34.6 447 16 212 59.3 780

Baldwin Dam 6.3 200.8 40.2 240.9 1,527 113 725 412.9 2,661

Forest tract: Mitchell

7.9 202.5 40.5 243.0 1,928 113 916 416.4 3,361

Forest tract: Porritt

5.3 148.2 29.6 177.8 937 83 445 304.7 1,634

Forest Scout

tract: 3.7 172.5 34.5 207.1 761 97 361 354.9 1,327

Happy Valley 16.5 217.1 43.4 260.6 4,295 122 2,040 446.6 7,488

Joker's Hill 8.7 189.5 37.9 227.4 1,987 106 944 389.7 3,463

Pangman Springs

1.0 134.2 26.8 161.0 166 75 79 276.0 290

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Scanlon 19.7 211.7 42.3 254.0 4,997 119 2,373 435.3 8,710 Creek Thornton 2.5 147.1 29.4 176.5 433 82 206 302.6 754 Bales Private-Old 18.9 119.0 23.8 142.8 2,700 67 1,282 244.8 4,706 Yonge St. Georgina 904.0 180.2 36.0 216.2 195,471 101 92,849 370.6 340,756 Island

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Figure 2. Average CO2 (above- and belowground) in tonnes per ha for forests sampled in the 16 properties. The dark grey bars show eastern Ontario properties, while the light gray bars show properties in the Lake Simcoe watershed, including Georgina Island.

The average amount of CO2 per hectare is indicative of natural variability of the forests, site productivity, and site potential. For example, site productivity of barren rock is assumed to be limited by shallow soils which reduced the growth potential of these sites. Conversely, sampled swamp forests have carbon stocks which are almost 8 times higher.

Younger successional stands sampled have on average 25 tonnes CO2/ha. However, if these successional stands are conserved and sustainably managed, they could serve as significant long-term carbon sinks as they have potential to store more carbon over time. An average carbon stock of 25 t CO2/ha (Figure 3) could eventually approach ~350 tonnes CO2/ha as the forest matures.

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0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

CO2/

ha

Figure 3. Average CO2, metric tonnes per hectare, across broad forest classes.

Regional-level estimates – Northern Bruce Peninsula

Regional-scale carbon storage estimates were generated, modeled, and mapped across the entire Eco-district 6e14 (northern Bruce Peninsula) (Puric-Mladenovic and Clark, 2010, Puric-Mladenovic and Young, 2010). Figure 4 shows an example of carbon storage maps generated for the region.5

As expected, the amount of carbon stored across the landscape differed depending on the allometric formula used to estimate dry biomass from field data (Table 2). For example, based on the formulas from Jenkins et al. (2003), the regional forest stored 12,289,568 tonnes CO2, while using the formulas from Lambert et al. (2005) showed that the regional forest stores 11,316,032 tonnes CO2 (Figure 4). The values predicted based on Ter-Mikaelian and Korzukhin (1997) were the lowest at 10,870,541 tonnes CO2.

5 To access all maps, visit: Predicted Forest Biomass and Carbon for Bruce Peninsula

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Figure 4. Regional carbon storage estimates for Eco-district 6e14 (the northern Bruce Peninsula) (from left to right) for aboveground standing live trees, total belowground standing live tree roots, and total carbon (aboveground + belowground) in tonnes per hectare. Carbon storage estimates were calculated from predicted aboveground biomass estimates; biomass estimates were generated following a set of allometric formulas from Lambert et al. (2005).

Table 2. Total carbon and CO2 contained in forest of Eco-district 6E14. The estimates are derived using predictive maps by Puric-Mladenovic and Clark (2010).

Allometric formula Total Average Total CO2 Average carbon carbon estimate CO2

estimate estimate (t/ha) estimate (t/ha) (t/ha) (t/ha)

Lambert et al. 3,083,388 62.1 11,316,032 228.0 (2005) Jenkins et al. (2003) 3,348,656 67.5 12,289,568 247.6 Ter-Mikaelian and 2,962,000 59.7 10,870,541 219.0 Korzukhin (1997) Average of three 3,131,348 63.1 11,492,047 231.6 formulas

On average, the total amount of carbon stored by forests in the Eco-district 6e14 was 11,492,047 tonnes CO2 (Table 2). The results from the predictive mapping were compared to averages estimated using plot data. For example, while average estimates using VSP plot data result in 266 tonnes CO2/ha, the average based on predictive

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mapping is only slightly lower at 228 tonnes CO2/ha (Table 3). The difference between the two methods is likely due to modeling and the predictor variable used. The predicted maps better capture spatial range and amount of different forest types across the landscape since multiple remotely sensed data layers are applied as predictors. The results show that the regional maps have the potential to be used for carbon offset projects as long as the prediction error is known and incorporated into CO2 estimates.

The regional carbon maps enable an estimation of baseline of carbon stock across the landscape and different forest types. For example, the results show that the highest amount of carbon is found in coniferous forests (Figure 5).

0

2,000,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

8,000,000

10,000,000

12,000,000

14,000,000

ConiferousForest

DeciduousForest

Mixed Forest Swamp Forest Plantations Total

CO2/

ha

Lambert et al. 2005

Jenkins et al. 2003

Ter-Mikaelian &Korzukhin 1997Average of threemethods

Figure 5. Total carbon stored in tonnes for forests (as per SOLRIS forest classes) across Eco-district 6e14 estimated using allometric equations as per Jenkins et al. (2003), Lambert et al. (2005), and Ter-Mikaelian and Korzukhin (1997).

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Figure 6. Estimated average live carbon stock (t/ha) in Eco-district 6e14 based on allometric equations as per Lambert et al. (2005). The red parcels have the highest density of stored carbon per hectare.

Regional carbon mapping can also be used to estimate CO2 per land parcel which could inform forest carbon baseline setting for offset projects at the property level or aggregated projects across multiple properties (Figures 6). Equipped with this type of information, landowners—even small landowners—could more easily participate in carbon offset projects.

Average carbon stocks in southern Ontario

Using a larger set of VSP data from sampling conducted in eastern Ontario, Lake Simcoe watershed, Bruce Peninsula, Niagara Escarpment, and the cities of Toronto and Kitchener, average carbon CO2 in southern Ontario were estimated to be 321.7 t /ha (Table 3).

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By extrapolating the average forest biomass of 184.5 t/ha to the forest area mapped by SOLRIS, it was estimated that southern Ontario’s 1.2 million hectares of forests currently stores approximately 105,166,696 tonnes of carbon which is equivalent to 385,961,774 tonnes of CO2. Similar estimates can be done at different spatial scales. For example, for the Greenbelt Plan area, the forest carbon stock was estimated to be 16,007,861 tonnes, which is equivalent to 58,748,850 tonnes CO2 and also represents approximately 15% of the total southern Ontario forest carbon.

It is important to recognize that within average estimates, there will be significant variation in carbon storage rates due to forest types, age, and site productivity. For example, aboveground biomass across the forests sampled for this analysis ranged from 3 t/ha for early successional forest patches to 700 t/ha for mature and late seral forests. Additionally, these average estimates did not include any data from forests in the most southwestern part of Ontario where additional Carolinian tree species might yield significantly different estimates.

Table 3. Preliminary estimates of aboveground, belowground, and total live biomass, carbon and CO2 for southern Ontario forests. Using the assumptions and methods outlined in this note, forests in southern Ontario store an estimated average of 321.7 CO2/ha.

Aboveground Belowground Total live biomass Biomass (t/ha) 153.8 30.76 184.5 Carbon (t/ha) 73.1 14.6 87.7 CO2 (t/ha) 268.1 53.6 321.7

Acknowledgments

This document was produced through a joint effort of OMNRF Science and Research Branch and the Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto, and supported by OMNRF’s Climate Change Program. The report was informed by additional analysis completed on quantifying forest carbon offsets in southern Ontario using available forest offset protocols. We thank Jim Mackenzie and Kristina Curren for editing this manuscript and Kate Johnston for producing the note. Finally, we thank Alex Macintosh for his work on the review of the existing forest carbon offset protocols, as well as his and Silvia Strobl’s comments on earlier versions of the report. We are grateful to partners that enabled data collection and/or provided data: Eastern Ontario Model Forest, the City of

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Kitchener, the Chippewas of Georgina Island, LSRCA, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, OMNRF Aurora and Midhurst Districts, Niagara Escarpment Commission, Bruce Peninsula and St. Lawrence National Parks, Master of Forest Conservation students from the Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto.

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Walker, W., A. Baccini, M. Nepstad, N. Horning, D. Knight, E. Braun, and A. Bausch. 2011. Field Guide for Forest Biomass and Carbon Estimation. Version 1.0. Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth, Massachusetts, USA.

Wang, C. 2006. Biomass allometric equations for 10 co-occurring tree species in Chinese temperate forests. Forest Ecology and Management 222(1-3): 9-16.

Estimation du stockage de carbone dans les forêts du sud de l’Ontario au niveau du peuplement et de la région

Les efforts visant à atténuer le changement climatique à l’échelle mondiale reconnaissent que l’aménagement du territoire et les activités forestières sont des options à faible coût relatif qui améliorent le stockage du carbone terrestre et aident à réduire les gaz à effet de serre dans l’atmosphère. À mesure que l’Ontario adopte un système de plafonnement et d’échange ainsi qu’un programme de crédits compensatoires complémentaire pour les projets de foresterie, il est possible que les activités de conservation des forêts et de gestion forestière améliorée deviennent plus attrayantes pour les propriétaires fonciers privés et les groupes de conservation de la nature en tant que nouvelles sources de revenus dans le secteur de la gestion des terres. La superficie de presque 1,2 million d’hectares de forêt dans le sud de l’Ontario est divisée en portions de forêt et de terrain boisé de diverses tailles et appartenant à des propriétaires différents. En raison de la fragmentation écologique, géographique et liée à la propriété, il est nécessaire d’explorer les estimations de carbone aux échelles locale (p. ex., peuplement ou propriété) et régionale afin d’évaluer comment les inventaires sur le terrain et les estimations à ces différentes échelles peuvent soutenir l’élaboration de projets de crédits compensatoires de carbone forestier. Cette étude est une démonstration pratique du mode d’utilisation du protocole d’échantillonnage de la végétation (PEV) pour soutenir les estimations de stockage du carbone forestier dans le sud de l’Ontario. En utilisant les données du PEV, cette étude présente les estimations préliminaires du carbone stocké au niveau du peuplement et de la région à l’intérieur du bassin versant du lac Simcoe, et de la péninsule de Bruce, dans l’est de l’Ontario. L’étude permet aussi d’estimer la quantité moyenne de carbone forestier par hectare

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dans le sud de l’Ontario en utilisant des données de PEV recueillies sur les parcelles dans toute la région.

Please cite this publication as: Puric-Mladenovic, D., J. Gleeson and G. Neilson. 2016. Estimating carbon storage in southern Ontario forests at regional and stand levels. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Science and Research Branch, Peterborough, ON. Climate Change Research Note CCRN-12.

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