The Forest Carbon Sink Optimization Model (FOX), developed by REKK, is a bio-economic model that integrates biological growth functions with economic decision-making to maximize profits (https://rekk.hu/modeling/carbon-capture-modelling ). FOX incorporates the benefits of wood products and introduces the concept of carbon payments for delayed harvesting, while also considering carbon release costs during final cuts. This dynamic, linear mathematical optimization model determines the optimal forest harvest based on exogenous growth functions, timber prices and carbon prices and it accommodates multiple species and age classes. The FOX model has been applied to Hungary, Romania and Bosnia-Herzegovina, this project is about the adaptation of FOX to Bulgaria.

Bulgarian forests are vast sinks of carbon, already removing over 8 million tonnes of CO2 annually. The goal of this most recent research project is to quantify the additional carbon sinking potential of the forestry sector in Bulgaria under various carbon price signals. We adapted the FOX model to some unique characteristics of the Bulgarian forests so, along the high stem forests, we could model plantations and coppice forests. Moreover, we facilitated the FOX model to convert plantation pine forests into native deciduous forests, which is a transition that Bulgarian forestry policy has been aiming at recently.

The REKK project to adapt the FOX model for Bulgaria was funded by the European Climate Foundation (https://europeanclimate.org/). The project team included Dr Lora Stoeva at the Forest Research Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Sofia.

On the 5th of October, we had a successful hybrid meeting hosted by the Forest Research Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Sofia, where we presented and discussed our research results with over 20 invited professionals.

Please access the workshop agenda, the presentations and the final study below.