Carbon stock of Oxytenanthera abyssinica (A.Rich.) Munro forests in northern Uganda: A vital nature-based climate solution

Abstract

Recognizing the significant potential of bamboo as a carbon sink, Uganda has strategically incorporated it into its national climate-mitigation and forest-restoration initiatives. However, there is limited information on the carbon storage and sequestration potential of bamboo forests in Uganda. Therefore, this study was conducted to estimate the carbon stock and sequestration potential of natural lowland bamboo (Oxytenanthera abyssinica) forests of the Lamwo District, Northern Uganda, to provide the necessary empirical basis for their formal recognition as a vital Nature-based Climate Solution. A total of 50 circular plots, each covering 100 m2 with a radius of 5.64 m, were set up to gather data. We estimated biomass using an allometric equation considering the diameter and age. The mean biomass of the bamboo forests in the study area was approximately 161.09 ± 4.0 Mg ha⁻¹ . The mean biomass carbon and CO₂ equivalent were 75.71 ± 1.89 Mg ha⁻¹ and 277.86 ± 6.95 Mg ha⁻¹ , respectively. These findings establish the Oxytenanthera abyssinica forests as vital, underutilized carbon reservoirs, necessitating their integration as a Nature-based Climate Solution (NbCS) in national mitigation and resilience strategies.