Abstract

Estimating potential forest biomass for São Paulo State - Brazil
Track: Climate Change and Conservation
Authors: Renato de Toledo

The Green Initiative (TGI) is a Brazilian NGO committed to offset greenhouse gases through the reforestation of the Atlantic Coastal Forest Biome. TGI restores forest at degraded riparian sites from public settlements and private small farms. But how the potential carbon sequestration varies through a region that exhibits natural rainforests and natural savannas? This work developed between São Paulo State Environmental Agency and TGI, researched for the detailing of the spatial variability of this relationship. The estimates were based on climatic models, topography and thematic maps of edaphic conditions. We follow the methodology developed by Louis Iverson and Sandra Brown at the early 1990s, but we used data with higher resolution available at 2009 (SRTM, Worldclim, and Brazilian official basis). 48 mean values from field measurements provided the calibration. The resulting model is the official parameter for predicting carbon sequestration. This work became possible through ESRI Conservation Program.