Managed rainforests support higher carbon density and sequestration in the Congo Basin

[Geoengineering News]

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-72399-4

Authors: Le Bienfaiteur Sagang, Ricardo Dalagnol, Lee White, Stephanie George-Chacon, Samuel Favrichon, Shuang Li, Fabien Wagner, Zhihua Liu, Dafeng Zhang, Alfred Ngomanda, Vincent Medjibe, Bonaventure Sonké, Nicolas Barbier, Elsa M. Ordway & Sassan Saatchi 

30 April 2026

Abstract

Land-use is a key driver of forest loss and aboveground live carbon (AGC) emissions in the Congo Basin (CB) rainforest. Here we evaluate the influence of land-use disturbances on AGC stocks and fluxes by developing an AGC density map for the year 2020 and integrating it with high-resolution forest cover change data spanning 30 years (1990-2020) to quantify carbon emissions and removals. Logged forests show 8% (5%–10%) less AGC compared to old growth, while slash-and-burn and unmanaged degradations display up to 50% differences. Unmanaged areas account for 54% of the region’s AGC storage. Old growth dominates the total AGC removals (84%) with the region functioning as a net AGC sink at -37.5 ± 4.8 TgCyr1, driven by logging concessions (-21.3 ± 2.4 TgCyr-1) and protected areas (-15.7 ± 2.2 TgCyr-1), while unmanaged areas remained nearly neutral. These findings emphasize the role of sustainable forests management to enhance carbon retention in the region.

Source: Nature Communications