Secondary forest permanence in the Brazilian Amazon

To avoid dangerous climate change, large quantities of carbon dioxide must be removed from the atmosphere. Forest growth is one of the most efficient strategies for achieving this, with tropical secondary forest key to recovering carbon stocks. The carbon benefit of secondary forest, which grows on cleared land following abandonment, is determined not only by its extent but also by its permanence. However, the patterns of its persistence are poorly understood. Secondary forest is a valuable resource and it is vital that we improve our understanding of it so we can ensure its potential carbon benefits are achieved. We will model the probability of secondary forest growth and clearance in the Brazilian Amazon using a number of forest characteristics (e.g. distance from roads, patch size) known to influence forest permanence and estimate the carbon potential of future secondary forest cover.

Faculty Supervisor:

Naomi Schwartz

Student:

Partner:

Lancaster University

Discipline:

Business

Sector:

Entertainment and Media; Forestry; Sustainability & the Environment

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: