Carbon Sequestration by Large Leaf Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King.) Plantation in Mount Makiling Forest Reserve, Philippines: a Decade after

The study on monitoring carbon accumulation and sequestration potential of Large Leaf Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King.) plantation in Mount Makiling Forest Reserve was a continuation of the same study conducted in 2000. It aimed to look to look into the sequestration rate of the plantation after a 10-year period. The study measured the biomass, C and CO2 stored in the aboveground, ground and belowground biomass. It also quantified the rate of C captured with the 2000 study as baseline data. The latest study showed that the plantation has a total biomass production of 1,120 Mg ha(-1) which is equivalent to 542 Mg ha(-1) of C and 1,989 Mg hc(-1) of CO2. Within a 10-year period, it registered a biomass buildup of 43 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1) and sequestered carbon at 22 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1) and 81 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1) of CO2. Its carbon storing capacity surpasses that of an old growth forest, natural stand and other types of vegetation. It can be concluded that the potential of forest plantation to sequester carbon can be maximized given a good-site condition, appropriate silvicultural practices applied, less human disturbances thus allowing the stand to attain its optimum growth as manifested by the plantation studied.