| Afforestation has been modeled as a cost-effective carbon management policy tool to mitigate the effects of global climate change. However, results from McKenney et al., (2004) suggest that managing poplar plantations for timber and carbon sequestration benefits may not be economically feasible in Canada. This thesis contributes to the re-evaluation of the economic feasibility of afforestation in southern Ontario by considering afforestation co-benefits under conditions in which forest productivity could be increased. Application of municipal biosolids to forests whose soils can take advantage of its fertilizer properties could increase forest productivity, which suggests that afforestation could be modeled as a joint carbon and biosolids waste disposal policy tool. A spatial, stochastic and bioeconomic cost benefit model developed by the Canadian Forest Service was used to evaluate the economic feasibility of afforestation when co-benefits are considered.; The empirical results suggest that an afforestation policy with joint objectives of biosolids disposal and carbon storage offer some advantages over a pure carbon storage policy. Further, sewage treatment plant that serve large urban populations and dispose of their biosolids at landfills are most likely to benefit from a joint afforestation project. |
