European Regional Development fund agreement No. 1.1.1.1/19/A/130
The total planned costs 599,871.81 EUR.
The project belongs to Latvian Smart Specialization Strategy (RIS) priority area knowledge-intensive bioeconomy and research contributes to development of scientific and human capital and to creation of new knowledge and will be carried out in area of research (Classification NACE2 code 72.19) and forestry (02.10).
The aim of the project is to estimate variability in forest carbon pools as a function of stand age, soil type and dominant tree species and use it as development tool for policy and management decision support in climate change mitigation.
The project is conceived as industrial research and all implemented activities correspond to forest sector. The research is interdisciplinary and will be carried out in collaboration between specialists of forestry and biology sciences (OECD “Frascati manual” 4.1. and 1.5.). The research in accordance with Cabinet Regulations No. 34 is not related to economic activity (non-core economic activity) and carried out based on section 21.1 – a project individually implemented by a research organization, within the scope of which independent research is being conducted to obtain more knowledge and better understanding. The research will be carried out in cooperation between the research institute and the enterprise, actions carried out include research and transfer of research results through knowledge and technologies, without exclusiveness and discrimination.
The aim of the project will be realized through the following activities:
- Characterization of carbon storage in tree biomass;
- Characterization of soil, fine roots, vegetation and litter and carbon pools of each of these components;
- Characterization of carbon budget in old-growth forests and development of budget through succession;
- Development of decision support tool for climate change mitigation.
It is supported by the activity Dissemination and involvement of community.
The project results in accordance to RIS goals will be summarized in 10 scientific articles. Project target group includes: 1) scientific institution, 2) scientific and research personnel, PhD students (2) and young scientists (2), as well as 3) enterprises. Significant competence development and completion of tasks will be ensured with cooperation with leading specialists in carbon budget assessment from University of Helsinki (support letter attached) and inclusion of young researcher with experience in UH, as well as working relation and experience in carbon budget assessment in Estonia. Scientific capacity of the LSFRI "Silava" and the members of the research team will be significantly boosted by gaining substantial knowledge in a complex, important, topical field of research – climate change mitigation and carbon sequestration – that is currently studied in context of land-use planning, forest (and general) economics, impact of climate change. Enterprises (forest owners and managers) and policy makers will gain free more accurate tool for assessment of carbon pools and sequestration in stands depending on their characteristics and management (non-management) decisions. Policy and management recommendations will be prepared. The knowledge gained will be innovative also at international scale and could be used in wide region with similar conditions.
Key words: climate change mitigation, carbon pools, carbon storage, old growth forests, chronosequence, hemiboreal forest, forest management
Publication of project results
Decisions support tool