Agroforest’s growing role in reducing carbon losses from Jambi (Sumatra), Indonesia

This paper examines the size and intensity ofchanges among five land categories during the two time intervalsin a region of Indonesia that is pioneering negotiationsconcerning reducing emissions from deforestation and forestdegradation (REDD). Maps at 1973, 1993, and 2005 indicatethat land-cover change is accelerating, while carbon loss isdecelerating in Jambi Province, Sumatra. Land dynamics haveshifted from Forest loss during 1973–1993 to Agroforest lossduring 1993–2005. Forest losses account for most reductions inaboveground carbon during the both time intervals, but Agroforestplays an increasingly important role in carbon reductionsduring the more recent interval. These results provide motivationfor future REDD policies to count carbon changes associatedwith all influential land categories, such as Agroforests.