6.5 Durability and Monitoring
Last updated
Last updated
corresponds to NCS
The project start is determined by specific activities to promote sink performance and by the documented intent to commit.
The project duration is at least 40 years, of which the first 30 years are creditable. Monitoring extends over the entire project duration.
The monitoring period ranges from 1 to 5 years.
The project operator commits to maintaining stock levels during the climate protection project beyond the 'normal' wood reserve by building up reserves and/or guaranteeing not to fall below a certain reserve level.
If the project assumptions are based on an inventory, a new inventory must be conducted no later than 15 years (inventory date), or 20 years in mountainous areas. The deadline may be extended if a new inventory is carried out within five years of project validation according to this method. If the project assumptions are not based on an inventory, one must be conducted within five years.
The reference scenario is periodically, but at least in the context of the new inventory, checked for its validity. In exceptional events such as calamities, that may render the project assumptions incorrect, and could affect already issued certificates, the project owner must report this to the registry-keeping organization so they can halt certificate sales from the project if necessary. Project assumptions are also checked in the event of forest damage larger than an annual harvest rate.
If the new inventory results in lower storage values than previously listed, the relevant amounts must be recorded negatively in the project registry. Conditions for risk minimization measures are outlined in chapter .
Projects applying "Method for Forest Climate Protection Projects in Switzerland" and "SILVACONSULT® Forest Carbon Standard" will be transferred to this method under monitoring.
Monitoring ensures that the creditable sink performance of the project in managed forests is determined ex-post using recognized methods and conservatively.
Project Area measured accurately to 0.1 ha, or rounded down to the nearest whole hectare.
Carbon Storage as in Chap. .
The additionally standing living total tree biomass in tCO₂ is credited, derived from the standing living wood stock in m3/ha by tree species or species groups. Basically, all carbon storages can be credited using recognized methods. They are all aligned with the stockholding of living trees (live tree biomass). Live tree biomass is to be recorded. Other storages may be conservatively excluded from crediting.
Wood Stock: The standing wood stock is measured in m3 and converted to tCO₂e live tree biomass.
Growth: Growth in m3 is converted to tCO₂e live tree biomass.
Utilization: Utilization is calculated at standing measurement like the stock in m3 and converted to tCO₂e tree biomass.
The origin of the data is declared for each case. Stock and growth data are derived from measured inventories or from model assumptions. Utilization is derived from felling records, operational evidence. The area is derived from operational planning/GIS analysis. Model assumptions from the literature.
Sink Performance Sink performance is determined by tree species or species groups. Values for the parameters of wood density, C-content, and biomass expansion recognized in the literature must be used.
Utilization Utilization can be recorded standing before or lying after harvest (in forest or factory scaling).
Growth Growth is determined or estimated based on sample inventories. Recognized procedures must be used for this purpose. In the case of estimates, the conservative approach is to be recognised.
Mortality Mortality is not synonymous with the immediate release of the bound carbon. Mortality is recorded in the stock change method or within inventories.
Leakage = Utilization volume of land in year i of crediting
= sustainable utilization potential of the land
= Credited Forest Sink Performance domestically, sum of all projects, in monitoring year i to control leakage
If then otherwise %.
The monitoring period goes over the entire project duration of at least 40 years. The individual monitoring periods (ex-post) can last between 1 and 5 years. Monitoring must be maintained during the entire project duration.
The project owner ensures that monitoring is properly conducted (self-management, program carrier, external office).
Recognized methods of quality assurance must be ensured for the collection and processing of relevant data.
The project owner ensures that the data is properly stored (self-management, program carrier, external office).
The project applicant must create and make a greenhouse gas report (monitoring report) available to the intended users. The greenhouse gas report should
identify the intended application and user of the greenhouse gas report and
have a structure and content that meets the needs of the intended user.
Information applicable to multiple projects in a program may be maintained by the program organization and need not be captured anew for each project.
Parameter Description
Creditable project area
Unit
Hectares
Data Source
Operational planning, land registry, etc.
Parameter Description
Wood utilization volume in the project in the crediting year
Unit
m³
Data Source
Operational accounting, etc.
Parameter Description
Management plan, forest setup work, operation or similar document that contains a status assessment and planning for the forest operation.
Unit
n/a
Data Source
Owner/Operation
Optional
Parameter Description
Status of voluntary certification
Unit
n/a
Data Source
FSC, PEFC etc. databases
Required if no management plan, no voluntary certification and no forest development plan are available)
Parameter Description
Document
Unit
n/a
Data Source
Owner/Operation
Parameter Description
In the case of newer inventories, the calculation bases must be adjusted, e.g. Stock, growth
Unit
n/a
Data Source
Inventory report/Owner/Operation/others
Parameter Description
Total national wood utilization volume in the year of crediting (N-Land)
Unit
m³
Data Source
Wood utilization statistics of the country
Sum of all forest sink performance projects domestically, in the monitoring year (SL-Land)
to control leakage
Parameter Description
Projects
Unit
m³
Data Source
Central Office
Description of the parameter
Must not exceed the potential use value of the land (deducting project sink performance) for assuming leakage=0
Unit
m³
Data source
Calculation, total wood use of the land (statistics) minus total carbon sink performance of all projects (statistics)
Description of the parameter
Reference value and project - Starting value
Unit
m³
Data source
Inventory reports, stocks extrapolated from inventories, qualified estimations at project start
Description of the parameter
To be specified country- or regionally
Unit
t DM/m³
Data source
Description of the parameter
To be specified country- or regionally
Unit
t DM/m³
Data source
Description of the parameter
To be specified country- or regionally
Unit
tCO₂/m³
Data source
Description of the parameter
To be specified country- or regionally
Unit
tCO₂/m³
Data source
Description of the parameter
0.5
Unit
Dimensionless
Data source
Description of the parameter
44/12 = 3.67
Unit
Dimensionless
Data source
Description of the parameter
To be specified country- or regionally
Unit
Dimensionless
Data source
Description of the parameter
To be specified by country
Unit
Mio. m³/year
Data source
-
If utilization is recorded by measurement after harvest (lying measurement, factory scaling), a back-calculation is done in accordance with Chap. to the standing measurement in m3 and tCO₂e live tree biomass.
Sink performance is quantified and described in chapter .
Wood Stock Wood stock is determined through recognized forest inventory methods in m3 standing timber. Results must be documented with the stated comprehensible accuracy. See chapter . If stock is estimated, the estimation parameters must be recognized and applied conservatively. Wood stock is recorded by tree species or species groups and converted into live tree biomass using recognized factors.
According to Ref. for example, Switzerland’s productive forest is 1.11 million ha, of which 10% is long-term reserved from commercial use.
Leakage Control Parameter The total utilization of the land must not exceed the potential usage (minus project sink performances) to assume leakage = zero, (see Chap. ).
e.g. : Volz, Richard; Nauser, Markus; Hofer, Peter (2001): Climate policy needs the forest and the wood. Forest and Wood 3/01, pp. 39-41
e.g. : Volz, Richard; Nauser, Markus; Hofer, Peter (2001): Climate policy needs the forest and the wood. Forest and Wood 3/01, pp. 39-41
e.g. : Thürig Esther, Schmid Stéphanie 2008: Annual CO₂ flows in the forest: Calculation method for the greenhouse gas inventory. Z. Forestry Sci. 159 (2008) 2: 31–38
e.g. : Thürig Esther, Schmid Stéphanie 2008: Annual CO₂ flows in the forest: Calculation method for the greenhouse gas inventory. Z. Forestry Sci. 159 (2008) 2:31–38
e.g. : Thürig Esther, Schmid Stéphanie 2008: Annual CO₂ flows in the forest: Calculation method for the greenhouse gas inventory. Z. Forestry Sci. 159 (2008) 2:31–38
e.g. : Thürig Esther, Schmid Stéphanie 2008: Annual CO₂ flows in the forest: Calculation method for the greenhouse gas inventory. Z. Forestry Sci. 159 (2008) 2:31–38
e.g. : Conversion of lying measure without bark to inventory measure with bark, Renato Lemm, WSL