Sequestering carbon and restoring renosterveld through fallowing: a practical conservation approach for the Overberg, Cape Floristic Region, South Africa
Corresponding Author
Anthony J. Mills
Department of Soil Science, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
Correspondence
Anthony J. Mills, Department of Soil Science, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland 7602, South Africa. Tel/fax: +27-21-715-1560.
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorSarah-Jane C. Birch
Department of Soil Science, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
Search for more papers by this authorRosanne Stanway
Department of Soil Science, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
Search for more papers by this authorOnno Huyser
Fynbos and Succulent Karoo and The Table Mountain Fund, WWF South Africa, Centre for Biodiversity Conservation, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa
Search for more papers by this authorRyan A. Chisholm
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, P.O. Box 0843-03092 Balboa Ancón, Republic of Panamá
Search for more papers by this authorClelia Sirami
Department of Soil Science, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
Search for more papers by this authorDian Spear
Department of Soil Science, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Anthony J. Mills
Department of Soil Science, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
Correspondence
Anthony J. Mills, Department of Soil Science, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland 7602, South Africa. Tel/fax: +27-21-715-1560.
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorSarah-Jane C. Birch
Department of Soil Science, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
Search for more papers by this authorRosanne Stanway
Department of Soil Science, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
Search for more papers by this authorOnno Huyser
Fynbos and Succulent Karoo and The Table Mountain Fund, WWF South Africa, Centre for Biodiversity Conservation, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa
Search for more papers by this authorRyan A. Chisholm
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, P.O. Box 0843-03092 Balboa Ancón, Republic of Panamá
Search for more papers by this authorClelia Sirami
Department of Soil Science, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
Search for more papers by this authorDian Spear
Department of Soil Science, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
Search for more papers by this authorEditor: Ashwini Chhatre
Abstract
Carbon credits are a potential source of funding for restoration initiatives that contribute to achieving conservation targets in important biodiversity areas. Here we investigated whether fallowing sequesters carbon; a first step in assessing the viability of using carbon financing to promote restoration of threatened vegetation in agricultural landscapes. We used renosterveld, a critically endangered shrubland vegetation of the Cape Floristic Region, as a case study. Carbon stocks of soil and biomass in active fields, fallow fields and intact renosterveld were compared. The total carbon stocks measured in fallow fields (82 Mg C ha−1) show that fallowing can sequester carbon lost in the conversion from intact renosterveld (84 Mg C ha−1) to active fields (69 Mg C ha−1) and that revenues of US$ 10 – 48 ha−1 yr−1 from carbon credits could accrue. Our findings suggest that carbon financing could be used to incentivise ecological restoration in marginal agricultural landscapes.
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