Total GHG emissions for 31 national parks were estimated using the Generic Carbon Budget Model (GCBM), a spatially explicit carbon budget model developed by Canadian Forest Service which uses forest inventory, disturbance, and mean annual temperature data along with yield data to estimate growth and merchantable volume for dominant tree species. Species- and Ecozone-specific equations are then used to convert merchantable volume to aboveground and belowground biomass carbon. The GCBM simulates carbon dynamics to produce spatially explicit estimations of carbon stocks and fluxes. The model simulates and tracks carbon stocks, transfers between Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)-defined pools, and other metrics including net ecosystem production, net biome production, and emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) in annual time steps. The stocks and fluxes are also tracked by disturbance event (e.g., forest fires).

Total GHG emissions include those from natural processes like respiration and decomposition and those due to natural and anthropogenic disturbances, including wildfires, prescribed burns, and insect outbreaks. These were calculated as the sum of CO2, CH4, and N2O emission estimates in tonnes carbon (tonnes C) generated by the GCBM. Emissions estimates were then converted to carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) using the 100-year Global Warming Potential (IPCC Fourth Assessment Report) factors for CH4 (25) and N2O (298).

These products have a spatial resolution of 30m.

This information is part of the Parks Canada Carbon Atlas Series. To obtain a copy of this report, please contact changementclimatique-climatechange@pc.gc.ca.

When using this data, please cite as follows:

Sharma, T., Kurz, W.A., Fellows, M., MacDonald, A.L., Richards, J., Chisholm, C., Seutin, G., Richardson, K., Keenleyside, K. (2023). Parks Canada Carbon Atlas Series: Carbon Dynamics in the Forests of Canada’s National Parks. Scientific Report. Parks Canada Agency, Gatineau, QC, Canada, 104 p.