ZLV Online

Abstract

Sequestering carbon in forest ecosystems is an important nature-based solution for mitigating climate change. One way to assess the effectiveness of carbon uptakes in forestry is to determine the effect that the inclusion of carbon price has on the length of economic rotation period of forest stands. Whether and until when forests should be left unharvested and store carbon in living biomass and deadwood, or harvested and store carbon in harvested wood products is the issue, which is investigated in this study by computing rotation ages that consider both commercial timber and carbon prices. The optimization is carried out with an economic-ecological model that includes size-structured matrix growth model and accounts for climate effects on forest dynamics. The study concerns with uneven-aged mixed-species forests consisting of Norway spruce (Picea abies L.), European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and silver fir (Abies alba Mill.). The data on forest initial distributions comes from the Czech National Forest Inventory. The results showed that inclusion of carbon pricing to economic criteria for determining optimal rotation ages prolongs the rotation period. An increase in the carbon prices postpones optimal harvest age and leads to higher total net carbon sinks. However, the optimal solutions are sensitive not only to the discount rate, but also to the growth conditions of forest site and future climate evolution.