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Bacurú Drõa: Indigenous forest custody as an effective climate change mitigation option. A case study from Darién, Panama

Authors :
Matthias Kunz
Hector Barrios
Michelle Dan
Iran Dogirama
Fabio Gennaretti
Mathieu Guillemette
Alexandra Koller
Chris Madsen
Gilberto Lana
Alexis Ortega
Manuel Ortega
Jose Paripari
Dolores Piperno
Karl Friedrich Reich
Thomas Simon
Francisco Solis
Porfirio Solis
Jorge Valdes
Goddert von Oheimb
Catherine Potvin
Source :
Frontiers in Climate, Vol 4 (2022)
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., 2022.

Abstract

Efforts to naturally remove atmospheric CO2 demand that largely intact forests be maintained. Our inter-cultural research initiative tested the hypothesis that Indigenous custody of the land is compatible with the maintenance of intact forests. Here we combined traditional knowledge, phytolith analysis, remote sensing, and tree inventories to study old-growth forests in Panama's Darién. Phytoliths served to elucidate historical vegetation, remote sensing revealed the current and past Indigenous footprints while tree stature and identity characterised the forest. Until now there has been very little to no human impact within these forests and current Indigenous footprint is both small and stable. Large trees accounted for 13% of trees in the plots that we established. For over half of the species, the measured tree height was taller than previously published maximum heights, leading us to conclude that these forests are a truly exceptional ecological refugium. Noting that the local communities are not rewarded for their custody of these exceptional forests we call to revisit the Good Practice Guidance for Land Use Land Use Change and Forestry to include intact forest land. In the context of sub-optimal carbon finance options, we also propose matching as a methodology that could prove additionality of forest conservation initiatives in climate mitigation portfolios.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
26249553
Volume :
4
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Frontiers in Climate
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.0365eed493a4ecfa6ca22d8075d5f8c
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fclim.2022.1047832