Carbon footprint of teak plantation management in Thailand using life cycle analysis

Abstract. Intim N, Duangjai W, Diloksumpun S, Kaakkurivaara T, Kaakkurivaara N. 2026. Carbon footprint of teak plantation management in Thailand using life cycle analysis. Asian J For 10 (1): r100129. https://doi.org/10.13057/asianjfor/r100129. Greenhouse (GHG) emissions from forest management operations are increasingly scrutinized in the context of climate change mitigation. This study aimed to quantify the carbon footprint of a full rotation teak (Tectona grandis) plantation, identifying key direct emission sources in silviculture and harvesting. This study assessed the carbon footprint of teak plantation management in the Mae-Moh Forest Plantation, Lampang Province, Thailand, using a life-cycle emission assessment over a 30-year rotation period. The system boundary covered plantation management activities from site preparation and planting to thinning and final harvesting, following a cradle-to-log-yard framework. Carbon dioxide emissions were calculated using activity data collected during 2023-2024 and emission factors provided by the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization. The analysis consisted of two major components: silvicultural practices and harvesting operations. The life-cycle emissions of carbon dioxide from silvicultural practices were estimated at 1,726.5 kg CO₂eq ha-1, with annual firebreak construction accounting for 1,176.0 kg CO₂eq ha-1, followed by fertilizer application accounting for 338.0 kg CO₂eq ha-1. The first year of establishment generated the highest emissions owing to the implementation of all silvicultural activities. Harvesting operations resulted in 14.2 kg CO₂eq/m³ in final felling, with short distance transportation identified as the largest contributor (5.3 kg CO₂eq/m³). When aggregated over the entire rotation, the total operational carbon footprint was 4,633.4 kg CO₂eq ha-¹, with harvesting operations accounting for 62.7% of emissions and silvicultural practices 37.3%. The highest annual emissions occurred during the first thinning at year 15. These results indicate that harvesting logistics, machinery efficiency, and fertilizer management are key drivers of emissions in teak plantation management. Improving equipment efficiency, optimizing nutrient management based on soil conditions, and adopting integrated fertilizer strategies could substantially reduce the carbon footprint of plantation forestry operations.