[C] The Hidden Frontier of Forest Degradation - Rainforest Alliance

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Fire management strategies can be implemented in both fire-sensitive and fire-dependent systems to reduce the risk of unexpected fire emissions that can undermine the permanence of forest carbon emissions reductions. Fire management practices in fire-dependent systems (such as seasonally dry forests) are fundamentally different from fire management practices in fire-sensitive systems (such as rainforests). Emissions reductions resulting from fire management practices are often difficult to quantify; however, in some fire-dependent systems where fire behavior is highly predictable, management practices can be linked to quantifiable emissions reductions. Integrated Fire Management offers a comprehensive framework for planning fire management strategies to reduce CO 2 emissions and reduce the risk of non-permanence. Nationalscale REDD programs should consider fire management as an integral part of REDD initiatives, given the magnitude of emissions in both fire-dependant and fire-sensitive systems, and the range of co-benefits associated with good fire management practices. Fuelwood harvest emissions can be addressed with efficient cook stove programs that reduce fuelwood demand, and/or through a variety of strategies that increase fuelwood supply including woodlot development, agroforestry, and community-based forest management. 3. Credible methodologies exist and are emerging to verify emissions reductions from avoided degradation. Currently, standards and methodologies to verify reduced emissions from forest degradation are at an early stage of development, with the exception of fuelwood strategies covered under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Lessons from forest certification can be used to complement existing and emerging carbon standards and methodologies. While not created to address carbon emissions, FSC certification is a well developed forest management standard designed to minimize ecological impacts resulting from timber harvest, while recognizing the ecological context of different tropical forest systems and achieving standards of social justice. We recommend the development of explicit links between existing forest management standards (e.g. FSC) and carbon standards (e.g. Voluntary Carbon Standard). As part of this process, research is needed to evaluate regionally specific forest practices that achieve quantified carbon benefits and are balanced with ecological and social concerns. 4. Existing conservation projects have demonstrated the viability of reducing emissions by avoiding forest degradation associated with timber extraction, fire, and fuelwood collection. Accounting for avoided emissions from degradation can be essential to the viability of climate initiatives such as the Noel Kempff Mercado Climate Action Project in Bolivia, the Garcia River Forest Project in the United States, and the West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement project in Australia. Accounting for avoided emissions from degradation can be essential to the viability of climate initiatives such as the Noel Kempff Mercado Climate Action Project in Bolivia, the Garcia River Forest Project in the United States, the West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement project in Australia, and the Cambodian Efficient Cook Stove Project. The Noel Kempff Mercado Climate Action Project has demonstrated methods to (i) account for the avoided emissions from stopping logging, (ii) address leakage and permanence issues, and (iii) verify tradable emissions reductions. The Garcia River Forest Project is demonstrating that emissions reductions through Improved Forest Management (IFM) efforts, which maintain sustainable timber production, are viable even in a context of relatively good “business as usual” baseline practices and the occurrence of unplanned fires. The West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement project has demonstrated both (i) accounting methods for quantifying the emission reductions resulting from fire management practices in a firedependent savanna system, and (ii) the viability of a strategy that engages indigenous groups in traditional fire management activities to reduce fire emissions. The Cambodian Efficient Cook Stove Project has demonstrated that emissions reductions from efficient cook stoves can be real, measurable, and verifiable with existing standards and methodologies, while improving local job opportunities. 4 $ A R E V I E W O F T H E S C I E N C E , P O L I C Y , A N D P R A C T I C E O F R E D U C I N G D E G R A D A T I O N E M I S S I O N S
C H A P T E R O N E Introduction © istock.com T H E H I D D E N F R O N T I E R O F F O R E S T D E G R A D A T I O N $ 5
Page 1 and 2: The Hidden Frontier of Forest Degra
Page 3: The Hidden Frontier of Forest Degra
Page 6 and 7: Executive Summary © Ivan Arnold 2
Page 10 and 11: We are in the midst of a critical p
Page 12 and 13: C H A P T E R T W O Magnitude of Em
Page 14 and 15: The IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Repo
Page 16 and 17: Degradation as a Catalyst Some form
Page 18 and 19: SUMMARY FOR POLICY & PRACTICE » Ne
Page 20 and 21: Figure 4. Time-series of Landsat im
Page 22 and 23: C H A P T E R F O U R Strategies fo
Page 24 and 25: Figure 5. Carbon benefits of forest
Page 26 and 27: A common non-certified scenario is
Page 28 and 29: Fire Management SUMMARY FOR POLICY
Page 30 and 31: Thus far, the majority of carbon ab
Page 32 and 33: On the other hand, if state-owned f
Page 34 and 35: C H A P T E R F I V E Integrating C
Page 36 and 37: 4. Knowledge dissemination: Standar
Page 38 and 39: C H A P T E R S I X Case Studies: L
Page 40 and 41: Noel Kempff Mercado National Park,
Page 42 and 43: POLITICAL AND INSTITUTIONAL CHALLEN
Page 44 and 45: to accumulate and add to the growin
Page 46 and 47: The Arnhem Plateau, site of the WAL
Page 48 and 49: Reducing Fuelwood Demand in Cambodi
Page 50 and 51: C H A P T E R S E V E N Synthesis o
Page 52 and 53: Very sophisticated, yet more costly
Page 54 and 55: Aalde, H., Gonzalez, P., Gytarsky,
Page 56 and 57: Food and Agriculture Organization.
Page 58 and 59:
International Tropical Timber Organ
Page 60 and 61:
Perry, D.A. (1994). Forest Ecosyste
Page 62 and 63:
Trenberth, K. E. & Hoar, T. J. (199
Page 64:
The Nature Conservancy 4245 North F
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[C] The Hidden Frontier of Forest Degradation - Rainforest Alliance

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