Estimation of economic value decrease in soil carbon sequestration due to skidding operation in the skid trails (A case Study: Gorazbon district)

Using modern machinery for logging will entail considerable pressure to the soil and cause serious damage to the soil and reduce the carbon sequestration. Many studies show the long-term recovery of soil physical and chemical properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of skidding slope, traffic, and place of the wheel on the carbon stocks and estimate the economic value of these reserves to obtain the information needed for comprehensive decision-making about the management of forest resources. The treatments included two slope classes (>10% and ≤10%), each class includes three traffic levels (low, medium and high), and in each group, on the wheels route, middle route, and control area, four samples were taken in three replicates. The economic valuation of the carbon sequestration function was determined using the shadow value method. The results showed that with increasing the slope path, the number of traffic and on the wheel route, the amount of carbon sequestration decreased significantly. The value of each hectare of the study area in terms of soil carbon sequestration and organic layer up to a depth of 10 cm was estimated about 1798.8 $ per hectare. On the other hand, reducing carbon sequestration in skid trails costs an average of 5,166 $ per hectare annually. Awareness of these costs will help the policymakers in the conservation and allocation of financial resources, especially in the context of budget constraints.