STRUCTURE AND ABOVEGROUND BIOMASS OF NATURAL FORESTS IN BA CHE DISTRICT, QUANG NINH PROVINCE

Abstract

Ba Che district belonging to Quang Ninh Province had 12,383 ha of natural forest area, which was managed by four main owners including including Individuals and householders (TH), Local community (LC), People’s committee at communal level (PC) and Protection forest management board (PFMB). Understudying current status of natural forests of these four owners will contribute to sustainable forest development and management in Ba Che district. Random sampling plots of 1,000 m² each (33.3 X 30 m) were used to collect field data. The results indicated that all stand parameters including tree number, diameter at breast height (D1,₃), basal area, standing volume, and aboveground biomass (AGB) were significantly different among four owners. PC forest had highest tree number of 63 trees/1,000 m² and the lowest (46 trees/1,000 m²) belonged to LC forests. LC forest had the largest D1,3 of 15.36 cm and it was smallest in PC forest (12.76 cm). PFMB forest had highest standing volume of 6.04 m³/1,000 m² and AGB of 6.15 tons/1,000 m², the lowest belonged

to PC forest with standing volume of 4.88 m³/1,000 m² and AGB of 4.96 tons/1,000 m². Stand parameters between < 200 m elevation zone and > 200 m elevation zone were also different in each of four owners. Diameter and stem number distributions in four owners and two elevation zones had exponential shape by reducing tree number in higher D1,₃ classes. Management approaches applied by each owner played a central role on the differences of stand parameters in Ba Che district. It is recommended that applying forest management approaches practiced by local communities will enhance the development of forest, contributing to poverty reduction, environment protection, and reducing the impact of climate change in Ba Che district.