Modeling carbon sequestration with CO2Fix and a timber supply model for use in forest management planning

Carbon (C) dynamics and forest management have become integrated in recent years, largely due to the Kyoto Protocol stipulating that forest C changes may be accountable in an emissions framework. A C stock modeling framework for forest managers is introduced in this paper. Empirical growth and yield models are used to develop sustainable timber supply for forest companies. These models use linear programming to solve the complex mathematical problem of timing and allocation of forest harvest and silviculture interventions. In this paper, we evaluated the effects of business as usual forest management versus management objectives to maximize C sequestration. Goal programming was used to minimize the deviation of two goals for C forest management: maximizing C in the forest, and maximizing the return on investment (net present value of forest timber products). Species-specific wood-to-C content conversion factors were used to parameterize the amount of C in forest stands on Canadian Forces Base Gagetown forest lands in New Brunswick, Canada. Goal programming reduced the loss of revenue associated with increasing C stocks in the forest. Partial harvesting and high valued end-products tended to increase C stocks and provided a higher return on investment in the simulations.