Forest Project Protocol Version 3.0
| Document/Tool | Description |
| Forest Project Protocol Version 3.0 (September 1, 2009) |
Version 3.0 was a significant revision from Version 2.1 that involved a two-year process with extensive stakeholder and public participation. The details of the development process are described below. |
| Forest Project Verification Protocol Version 3.0 (September 1, 2009) |
A guidance document for verifying projects under Version 3.0. |
| Announcement Regarding Optional Carbon Pools (March 4, 2011) |
A memo to all project developers and verification bodies regarding the disallowance of crediting optional carbon pools unless and until standardized guidance can be developed to quantify the optional pools. *Note: As of July 3, 2012, standardized guidance has been provided for soil carbon accounting, as described below. |
| Supplemental Guidance for Soil Carbon Accounting in Avoided Conversion Projects (July 3, 2012) |
Supplemental guidance which enables the inclusion of soil carbon in certain Avoided Conversion projects. |
| Supplemental Verification Methodology – Sequential Sampling (July 3, 2012) |
Supplemental guidance required for the verification of soil carbon estimates (if included) in Avoided Conversion projects. The verification method may be applied to other sampled carbon pools. |
Protocol Development in 2009
A draft of the Forest Project Protocol Version 3.0 was released for public comment in April 2009, incorporating several changes to the protocol draft released in December 2008. A workgroup draft of the protocol, which incorporated public and workgroup comments since April, was released in August 2009, followed by a public workshop to discuss the draft protocol. A final version of the protocol was presented to the Reserve Board for adoption in September 2009.
Public Workshop
The Reserve hosted a public workshop in Sacramento on August 17, 2009 to discuss revisions to the draft protocol and to solicit further public feedback. See the presentation slides below.
- Reserve Presentation (August 2009)
Workgroup Draft Protocol
A new draft of the protocol was developed based on public stakeholder and workgroup comments and recommendations. See the draft below as well as a red-line draft of the protocol revisions.
- Forest Project Protocol Version 3.0 Workgroup Draft (August 4, 2009)
- Forest Project Protocol Version 3.0 Workgroup Draft with Edits (August 4, 2009)
Project Implementation Agreement Public Comments
Public comments were submitted on the draft Project Implementation Agreement (PIA) in June 2009. The majority of the public comments reference the first version of the draft PIA and draft Consequences for Reversals and Early Termination (June 2, 2009). The staff responses to the public comments reference the updated draft of the PIA (June 5, 2009).
- Draft Project Implementation Agreement for Forest Protocol Version 3.0 (June 5, 2009)
- Draft Project Implementation Agreement for Forest Protocol Version 3.0 (June 2, 2009)
- Consequences for Reversals and Early Termination, Draft PIA (June 2, 2009)
- Summary of Comments and Responses on the Draft PIA (August 4, 2009)
Version 3.0 Public Comments
Public comments were submitted on the draft Forest Project Protocol Version 3.0 in April and May of 2009. See the draft protocol, staff responses to public comments, and public comments below.
- Final Draft Forest Project Protocol Version 3.0 (April 15, 2009)
- Summary of Comments and Responses on the Draft Forest Project Protocol (August 4, 2009)
Wood Products Public Comments
Public comments were submitted on the draft wood products guidance in February 2009. See the draft guidance, staff responses to public comments, and public comments below.
- Draft Wood Products Guidance for Forest Project Protocol Version 3.0 (February 3, 2009)
- Summary of Comments and Responses on the Draft Forest Project Reporting Protocol – Wood Products (March 10, 2009)
| American Forest & Paper Association | Equator LLC |
| The Pacific Forest Trust | Terry Collins |
| The Wilderness Society | Solid Waste Industry for Climate Solutions |
| California Biomass Energy Alliance |
Public Workshop
A public workshop was hosted to discuss the draft Forest Project Protocol Version 3.0 on February 3, 2009. See the agenda and presentation slides below.
Protocol Development in 2008
Since the adoption of the Forest Project Protocol Version 2.1 in September 2007, the Reserve worked closely with stakeholders, forest experts, environmental organizations and government agencies to update, improve and expand the protocol (see summary of changes section below). The first draft revision of the protocol was released for public comment in December 2008.
Version 3.0 Public Comments
Public comments were submitted on the draft Forest Project Protocol Version 3.0 in December 2008 and January 2009. See the draft protocol, staff responses to public comments, and public comments below.
- Draft Forest Project Protocol Version 3.0 (December 2008)
- Summary of Comments and Responses on the Draft Forest Project Reporting Protocol (April 6, 2009)
The following minority reports identify areas where the workgroup did not achieve complete consensus.
- PFT CCAR Minority Report (December 2008)
- TNC CCAR Minority Report (December 2008)
Summary of Changes from Version 2.1 to 3.0
Significant improvements and changes form the Forest Project Reporting Protocol Version 2.1 to the draft Forest Project Protocol Version 3.0 included the following:
- Expanded applicability so that the protocol may be used with projects throughout the United States
- Standardized requirements and improved guidance for estimating baselines for reforestation, improved forest management, and avoided conversion projects
- An option for registering reforestation projects on lands that have recently undergone a significant natural disturbance
- Explicit requirements and mechanisms to ensure the permanence of credited GHG reductions
- Improved requirements for more comprehensively addressing leakage
- Requirements and guidance for accounting for carbon in harvested wood products
- Refinement of the definition of “natural forest management”
- Numerous other clarifications, revisions, and improvements
Version 3.0 also introduced the requirement for each project developer to sign a Project Implementation Agreement (PIA) in order to register a forest project with the Reserve. The PIA set forth: (i) the project developer’s obligation to comply with the Forest Project Protocol, and (ii) the rights and remedies of the Reserve in the event of any failure of the project developer to comply with its obligations, including compensation for any “reversal” of greenhouse gas reductions.
Version 3.0 Workgroup Participants
| Beaty and Associates | Pacific Forest Trust |
| California Air Resources Board | Scientific Certification Systems |
| California Forestry Association | Sierra Pacific Industries |
| California State Parks | The Nature Conservancy |
| CalFire | US Forest Service |
| Environmental Defense Fund | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
| Green Diamond Resources | Winrock International |
| University of California | World Resources Institute |
Resources
- Methodology for using the Forest Soil Carbon Loss Lookup Table by Alex Gershenson, PhD
- Verification of Forest Carbon Project Plots Using Sequential Statistical Methods by Tim Robards, PhD
Please contact the Policy Team with questions or comments.