Growing Stock and Carbon Storage of Bamboo in Ban Pan Pong Chai Community Forest for Comparing Local Utilization Demand

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the socio-economic conditions, forest ecological characteristics, growth and yield and carbon stock of bamboo in the Ban Pan Pong Chai Community Forest. Key informants who utilized bamboo were interviewed and a forest survey was conducted based on stratified random sampling method. The crown cover density was classified as high, moderate, and low in a permanent sample plot of size 40x40 square meters in six plots with two plots per stratum which were used to estimate 1.57 % of the sample size.

The results found the mixed deciduous forests as the main forest type in the community forest, with the first five dominant tree species namely Canarium subulatum, Pterocarpus macrocarpus, Xylia xylocarpa var. kerri, Shorea obtusa, and Shorea siamensis, respectively. Additionally, five species of bamboo were identified, namely: Dendrocalamus Strictus, Gigantochloa albociliata, Oxytenanthera albociliata, Cephalostachyum pergracile, and Bambusa natans respectively, with Dendrocalamus Strictus found most frequently. The growing stock of bamboo were estimated at 32.36 clumps/rai (202.25 clumps/ha), and 477.92 stems/rai (4,251.06 stems/ha). The tree biomass and carbon stocks were 8.25 ton/rai (51.56 ton/ha) and 12.87 tCO₂e/rai (80.44 tCO₂e/ha), respectively, while the bamboo biomass and carbon stocks were 24.38 ton/rai (152.38 ton/ha) and 42.01 tCO₂e/rai (262.56 tCO₂e/ha), respectively. The bamboo was mainly used for four purposes namely agriculture material, handy craft, broom, and others of 67,172, 10,758, 9,970 and 5,697 stems/year, respectively. A majority of the key informants had business as their main occupation with an average income of 75,001–150,000 Baht per household per year. Around 50% of these respondents indicated to having a debt from the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperative.