04 - CO2 REMOVAL BY FOREST RESTORATION IN AMAZON

Deforestation rates in the Amazon remain alarming, implying high levels of emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere. Rondônia is one of the Brazilian states with the highest rates of deforestation in the country. Forest restoration is a concrete action to recover its biodiversity and ecological functions, as well as to mitigate GHG emissions, especially in protection zones and legal forest reserve as defined by law. CO2 removal of mixed young stands with native species implanted in family farms in the State of Rondônia, aged between 5 and 7 years, was quantified. A forest inventory was carried out by establishing 40 permanent plots and the biomasses of 40 sample trees were determined by the destructive direct method. Laboratory analyzes of plant tissues were carried out. The total dry biomass was estimated at 65.77 t.ha-1, which has the following order of partitioning: stems> branches>roots foliage> miscellaneous. The carbon stock stored in the stands was calculated at 29.60 t.ha-1, which corresponds to 16% of the average stock of mature natural forest in the region. Carbon dioxide removal was estimated at 108.52 t CO2eq.ha-1, which corresponds to the annual rate 16.99 t CO2eq.ha-1.year-1. It was concluded that, in spite of being young, these restoration stands store large amounts of carbon and promote GHG mitigation and help in recovering forest cover affected by deforestation. In addition to this role, the restoration stands play an important role in the recovery of biodiversity in this tropical region highly affected by the anthropic actions.