Research

Key research activities

To understand the forest-atmosphere interactions and the climate impact of afforestation on agricultural lands, we first prepare afforestation guidelines based on existing literature, data, and models (WP1). This effort aims to provide initial and imminently needed guidance for afforestation already ongoing in relation to the Green Tripartite Agreement. Simultaneously with WP1, we install research infrastructures to measure the principal climate impact components including CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions (WP2) and emission of aerosol particles (WP3).

Upon the collection of novel data, we analyse the afforestation’s climate impact, including CO2 and other greenhouse gases (WP2), aerosol particles (WP3), clouds and water (WP4), and albedo (WP5) effects. A synthesis of all the climate components from WP2-5 will be performed in WP6 where the guidelines developed in WP1 will be revisited and revised.

Work packages

WP1: Guidelines to maximize the climate benefits of afforestation of agricultural lands

Objective: To provide imminent guidance on the climate effect of afforestation on agricultural soils in Denmark building on existing knowledge and data. The aim is to provide the best available recommendations on how to optimize total climate benefit of afforestation and to identify knowledge gaps to be addressed in WPs 2-6.

Output: Information and guidelines for climate smart afforestation based on existing knowledge and identification of knowledge gaps related to GHG and non-GHG climate forcers.

WP2: Climate impact of the CO2 flux component and other GHGs

Objective: Utilize Danish forest inventory data combined with remote sensing techniques, existing and new ecosystem-level, state-of-the-art measurements of CO2 and other GHGs across a range of land use types in Denmark and develop and apply models to quantify the total GHG effects of afforestation of agricultural lands over time.

Output: Improved understanding and quantitative estimation of how forests and afforestation of  agricultural land affect climate through exchange of CO2 and other GHGs.

WP3: Aerosol component of the climate impact

Objective: Assess the biogenic aerosol production potential of Danish afforestation actions by performing measurements, which will form the basis for estimating biogenic aerosol emissions, and further the cooling by aerosol-cloud interactions at regional scale. These are the first comprehensive measurements to quantify natural aerosol production in a Danish forested environment.

Output: The first quantified estimate on how forests and afforestation of agricultural land in Denmark affect climate through changes in aerosol formation.

WP4: Cloud and water component of the climate impact

Objective: Estimate how the increased atmospheric humidity and changes in turbulence over the forests affect the cloud fraction and frequency. This is done mainly by using modelling tools, but also observational verification is used.

Output: Improved understanding and quantitative estimation of how spatial distribution, size of the afforestation area and forest characteristics affect cloud frequency and fraction when compared to agricultural lands.

WP5: Albedo component of the climate impact

Objective: Estimate the albedo component of the climate impact and how that varies across the afforested sites. This is done based on previously reported albedo characteristics linked to forest parameters and on reflectance measurements.

Output: Improved understanding and quantitative estimation of how forests and afforestation of agricultural land effect climate through changes in albedo.

WP6: Synthesis

Objective: Integrate results from the other WPs and use a newly developed climate model (OpenIFS) with higher resolution than the conventional climate models. This WP delivers a synthesized view on the full climate benefits of different afforestation scenarios for agricultural lands.

Output: Improved global climate-models better  suitable for estimating the climate effects of forests, their management and land use change, and the first quantitative estimate of comprehensive climate benefits of afforestation.