Carbon Stock Potentials of Woody Plant Species in Biheretsige and Central Closed Public Parks of Addis Ababa and Its Contribution to Climate Change Mitigation

Abstract

City park forests have role in mitigating the effect of climate change. However, more studies have been conducted on carbon stock estimation of forests in wide area. This study was conducted to estimate the carbon potential of Biheretsige and Central Closed Public Parks of Addis Ababa. Current conditions of the study sites, woody plant species, structure and the carbon stock in the different carbon pools were done. Woody species data collection was done by complete listing method. Soil and litter data collection had also been carried out using representative sampling. The result of the present study showed that 4147 woody plant had a DBH ≥5 cm. Total carbon stock densities of the two sites were 149.18±5.28 t ha^-1. The mean above and below ground carbon stocks were 25.4±3.7and 5 ± 0.75t ha^-1, respectively. Aboveground and belowground biomasses were 50.85±7.45and 10.2± 1.50 t ha^-1 while the total carbon stock in the litter was 5.175± 2.25 t ha^-1. Soil organic carbon (30 cm depth) stock was 113.55±1.05 t ha^-1. The carbon stocks in above and below ground biomasses were small as compared to the previous studies. This was because of the lower DBH class value of woody plant species of the study sites and the smaller size of the study area. Litter biomass, litter carbon stock and soil organic carbons were proportional to the previous studies. Therefore, the results of the study showed that woody plant species of the selected Park have positive role in reduction of greenhouse gases and in contributing to climate change mitigation.

Keywords: Carbon stock, Climate change mitigation, Closed Public Park