Reforestation of fallow land as a potential for decarbonization of the Yangan-Tau geopark

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:Offers a methodology for carbon accounting of natural reforestation using remote sensing and field data, relevant for study of nature-based solutions.

🏢実務担当者:Tourism operators in protected areas can apply this approach to evaluate reforestation as a carbon offset mechanism.

🏛政策担当者:Informs policies linking land restoration to tourism decarbonization, suggesting the need for proactive reforestation to sustain offset capacity.

Introduction. The international experience of assessing the impact of climate change on the territory of UNESCO global geoparks has been analyzed. The international scientific community of geoparks recognizes the importance of this issue and actively conducts research on water scarcity and droughts, changes in microclimates, melting glaciers, transformations in agricultural structures and yields of local crops, as well as the preservation of biological and geological heritage in the context of global climate change. Special attention is paid to compensating for the carbon footprint resulting from tourist activities through reforestation. The aim of the research is to determine the annual amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide deposited by the tree stand growing on the fallow lands of the Yangan-Tau Global UNESCO Geopark and to compare it with the carbon footprint resulting from tourist trips. Research methods. The carbon footprint of tourist trips was estimated based on data on the number of tourists, their places of residence, and the average carbon emissions of various modes of transportation per kilometer. The areas of fallow land covered with pine and birch forests were estimated using remote sensing data obtained from the Sentinel 2 satellite. The carbon reserves were estimated based on the results of field studies and conversion factors approved by Order No. 371 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation dated May 27, 2022. Results and discussion. An analysis of data on the average number of tourist trips, tourist accommodation sites, and the carbon footprint of various modes of transportation has shown that, on average, more than 76,000 tons of carbon are emitted into the atmosphere as a result of tourism each year. Travel within the Republic of Bashkortostan and neighboring regions contributes the most to this figure, as it is predominantly carried out by road transport. A study of the features of the overgrowth of fallow lands with pine and birch forests in the Yangan-Tau Geopark revealed that 79.6 thousand tons of atmospheric carbon are deposited annually as a result of natural reforestation. The largest areas of overgrowth are characteristic of birch forests that are in the first stage of succession or are represented by sparse forests. The maximum amount of deposited carbon is observed in birch forests in the fourth stage of succession. Conclusion. In the territory of the UNESCO Global Geopark Yangan-Tau, the observed annual carbon absorption exceeds the carbon dioxide emissions associated with tourist traffic by 3,000 tons. However, if the tourist flow increases, the compensatory potential of natural reforestation may not be sufficient.

• crossref https://doi.org/10.21177/1998-4502-2026-18-2-766-779first seen 2026-07-14 05:18:50