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ncx-co / ifm_deferred_harvest

Documents, Data, and Code. The NCX Methodology For Improved Forest Management (IFM) Through Short-Term Harvest Deferral.
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Public Comment: 109 (Ethan Belair) #109

Closed ncx-gitbot closed 2 years ago

ncx-gitbot commented 2 years ago

Commenter Organization: The Nature Conservancy

Commenter: Ethan Belair

2021 Deferred Harvest Methodology Section: 11.3.d.ii

Comment: Percent of carbon removed is calculated as carbon at T1 minus (carbon at T0 plus estimated growth from T0 to T1). This essntially assumes that the harvest occurred immediately before remeasurement, which is a non-conservative assumption. Making this assumption maximizes that percent of carbon removed, thereby having a lower baseline, thereby maximizing carbon benefit in the with project scenario.

Proposed Change: Percent carbon removed should incorporate growth from T0 to T0.5, to better account for the range of actual harvest times occurring across the breadth of FIA plot locations.

ncx-gitbot commented 2 years ago

NCX response: By selling the option to harvest for one year, landowners produce an additional carbon storage benefit beyond what their forest would have provided if they had not engaged in the deferral activity. Under BAU, the landowner’s option to harvest is exercisable at any time of the year and therefore each increment of time within the performance period where that option is forfeited is considered additional. Since the contract is for a full year, 1 year of additional carbon storage is creditable.