Carbon stock of Banja forest in Banja district, Amhara region, Ethiopia: An implication for climate change mitigation

This study estimates the carbon stock of Banja Forest which is natural and dry Afromontane forest type in Banja District, northwest of Ethiopia. A systematic sampling method was used to identify each sampling point through the Global Positioning System. A total of 63 plots measuring 20 x 20 m were employed to collect tree species and soil data. Losses on ignition and the Walkley-Black method were used to estimate biomass and soil carbon stock, respectively. The carbon stock of trees was estimated using an allometric equation. The results revealed that the total carbon stock of the forest was 639.87 t/ha whereas trees store 406.47 t/ha, litter, herbs, and grasses (LHGs) 2.58 t/ha and soil 230.82 t/ha (up to 30 cm depth). The carbon pools' carbon stock variation with altitude and slope gradients were not significant (p > 0.05) which was similar to other previous studies. The Banja Forest is a reservoir of high carbon and thus acts as a great sink of the atmospheric carbon. It can be concluded that the Forest plays a role in climate change mitigation. Hence, it should be integrated with reduced emission from deforestation and degradation (REDD+) and the clean development mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol to catch monetary benefits.