Part 1
Preliminary
Part 1 Preliminary
1.1 Name of determination
1.2 Duration
1.3 Definitions
1.4 Kind of project to which this Determination applies
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Commonwealth legislation
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
This Determination sets the technical measurement, monitoring and reporting rules landholders must follow to claim carbon credits for new farm forestry plantations or permanent plantings. It prescribes how to map project areas, sample trees, develop or apply allometric equations, run FullCAM modelling (PPACS), account for emissions (fuel, fire) and calculate net CO2e abatement. It affects project proponents (who bear monitoring, sampling and modelling costs) and the Regulator (who approves declarations, validations and crediting).
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Direct links to the current provisions in Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Measurement Based Methods for New Farm Forestry Plantations) Methodology Determination 2014.
Part 1 Preliminary
1.1 Name of determination
1.2 Duration
1.3 Definitions
1.4 Kind of project to which this Determination applies
Part 2 Requirements for declaration as eligible project
2.1 Eligible projects
2.2 Location
2.3 Project land characteristics
2.4 Project mechanisms
2.5 Project types
2.6 Identification of project area
Part 3 Delineating boundaries
3.1 Division of project area into strata
3.2 Requirements for strata
3.3 Delineating stratum boundaries
3.4 Ortho-rectified aerial imagery
3.5 Growth disturbances
3.6 Revision of strata affected by growth disturbance
3.7 Requirements for disturbance-affected strata
3.8 Requirements for fire-affected strata
3.9 Requirements for revisions of strata boundaries
Part 4 Project operation
4.1 Change of project type
4.2 Preparation burns
4.3 Removal of non-project trees for a project
4.4 Removal of project tree biomass from a permanent planting project
4.5 Specifying the management regime for a harvest project
4.6 Change of management regime for a harvest project
4.7 Removal of project tree biomass from a harvest project
4.8 Requirements for operation of a harvest project
4.9 Estimating predicted project average carbon stocks
4.10 Requirements for estimating predicted project average carbon stocks
Part 5 Methods for estimating net project abatement
Division 5.1 Estimating project removals
Subdivision 5.1.1 General
5.1 General
Subdivision 5.1.2 Carbon inventory
5.2 Carbon inventory
5.3 Precision standard
Subdivision 5.1.3 Allometric functions
5.4 Allometric functions for live project trees
5.5 Stratum-specific functions
5.6 Regional functions
5.7 CFI function
5.8 Converting a stratum-specific function to a regional function
5.9 Allometric domain
5.10 Regression analysis
5.11 Minimum data requirements
5.12 Regression requirements
5.13 Allometric report
Subdivision 5.1.4 Applicability of allometric functions
5.14 Testing the applicability of allometric functions
5.15 Compatibility checks
5.16 Validation test
5.17 Reporting requirements for compatibility and validation tests
Subdivision 5.1.5 Allometric functions for live trees
5.18 Developing allometric functions for live trees
5.19 Developing stratum-specific functions
5.20 Updating pre-existing stratum-specific functions
5.21 Developing and updating regional functions
5.22 Converting a stratum-specific function to a regional function
5.23 Updating a CFI function
Subdivision 5.1.6 Measuring biomass sample trees
5.24 Measuring above-ground biomass of biomass sample trees
5.25 Measuring below-ground biomass of biomass sample trees
5.26 Assessing carbon stocks in the roots of harvested trees for harvest projects
Subdivision 5.1.7 Assessing carbon stocks in dead or burnt trees
5.27 Biomass prediction in dead or burnt trees
5.28 Testing for over prediction of a dead or burnt tree biomass
Subdivision 5.1.8 Assessing carbon stocks in coarse woody debris and litter
5.29 Assessing carbon stocks in coarse woody debris
5.30 Assessing carbon stocks in litter
Division 5.2 Calculating project emissions
5.31 Calculating fuel emissions from project activities
5.32 Calculating fire emissions from a stratum
Part 6 Calculating the carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount for a project
Division 6.1 Preliminary
6.1 General
6.2 Greenhouse gas assessment boundary
6.3 Calculating the baseline for the project
6.4 Requirements for calculating carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement
Division 6.2 Calculations
Subdivision 6.2.1 Calculating carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount
6.5 General
Subdivision 6.2.2 Calculating net greenhouse gas abatement for a project
6.6 Equation 1.1—Calculating net greenhouse gas abatement for the project area
6.7 Equation 1.2—90% confidence interval for net greenhouse gas abatement
6.8 Equation 1.3—Standard error for net greenhouse gas abatement for the project area
6.9 Equation 1.4—Degrees of freedom with unequal variances
Subdivision 6.2.3 Calculating carbons stocks for a project
6.10 Equation 2.1 & 2.2—Change in carbon stocks within the project
6.11 Equation 2.3—Standard error for change in carbon stocks within a project for the first offsets report
6.12 Equation 2.4—Standard error for change in carbon stocks within a project
6.13 Equation 2.5—Initial carbon stocks for a project
6.14 Equation 2.6—Standard error for the initial carbon stocks for the project
6.15 Equation 2.7—Closing carbon stocks for a project
6.16 Equation 2.8—Standard error for the closing carbon stocks for the project
6.17 Equation 2.9—Lower confidence bound for closing carbon stocks for the project
6.18 Equation 2.10—Predicted project average carbon stocks for a harvest project
6.19 Equation 2.11—Predicted stratum average carbon stocks for a harvest project
6.20 Equation 2.12—Predicted stratum carbon stocks for a harvest project
6.21 Equation 3.1—Initial carbon stocks for a stratum
6.22 Equation 3.2 —Standard error for initial carbon stocks for a stratum
6.23 Equation 3.3—Closing carbon stocks for a stratum.
6.24 Equation 3.4—Standard error for closing carbon stocks for a stratum
6.25 Equation 3.5—Mean plot carbon stocks for a stratum
6.26 Equation 3.6—Standard error for mean plot carbon stocks for a stratum
6.27 Equation 4.1—Carbon stocks within a plot
6.28 Equation 4.2—Carbon stocks of trees in a plot
6.29 Equation 4.3—Carbon stocks in the roots of harvested trees for a harvest project
6.30 Equation 4.4—Carbon stocks in litter within a plot
6.31 Equation 4.5—Biomass in litter within a plot
6.32 Equation 4.6—Carbon stocks in coarse woody debris within a plot
6.33 Equation 4.7—Carbon stocks in coarse woody debris within a decay class
6.34 Equation 4.8—Volume of coarse woody debris within a decay class
6.35 Equation 4.9—Biomass of project trees in a plot
6.36 Equation 4.10—Biomass in the roots of harvested trees in a plot for a harvest project
6.37 Equation 4.11—Biomass in the roots of harvested trees under a replant system
6.38 Equation 4.12—Carbon stocks in the roots of harvested trees under a coppice system
Subdivision 6.2.4 Calculating project emissions
6.39 Equation 5.1—Calculating project emissions for a reporting period
6.40 Equation 5.2—Standard error for project emissions
6.41 Equation 5.3—Calculating fuel emissions for a stratum
6.42 Equation 5.4—Calculating emissions for a type of fuel
Subdivision 6.2.5 Calculating fire emissions for a fire-affected stratum
6.43 Equation 5.5—Emissions for a fire-affected stratum
6.44 Equation 5.6—Emissions of methane from fire
6.45 Equation 5.7—Emissions of nitrous oxide from fire
6.46 Equation 5.8—Weight of elemental carbon emitted from fire
6.47 Equation 5.9—Standard error for emissions from a fire-affected stratum
6.48 Equation 5.10—Standard error for emissions of methane from fire
6.49 Equation 5.11—Standard error for emissions of nitrous oxide from fire
6.50 Equation 5.12—Standard error for weight of elemental carbon emitted from fire
Subdivision 6.2.6 Calculating probable limits of error
6.51 Equation 6.1—Probable limits of error for closing carbon stocks
6.52 Equation 6.2—Estimating number of plots required to meet the target probable limits of error
Subdivision 6.2.7 Allometric equations
6.53 Equation 7.1—Form of allometric equations
6.54 Equation 7.2—Total tree biomass or above-ground biomass for a dead or burnt tree
6.55 Equation 7.3—Total biomass for a biomass sample tree or test tree
Subdivision 6.2.8 Root biomass from a root:shoot ratio
6.56 Estimating root biomass from a root:shoot ratio
6.57 Equation 7.4—Above-ground biomass for a biomass sample tree, or test tree
6.58 Equation 7.5—Total root biomass of a tree
6.59 Equation 7.6—Dry weight of biomass components of trees
6.60 Equation 7.7—Mean of residuals
6.61 Equation 7.8—weighting factor for weighted least squares regression
Division 6.3 Data collection
6.62 Data collection for project greenhouse gas emissions
6.63 Data collection for project greenhouse gas sequestration
Part 7 Monitoring, record-keeping and reporting requirements
Division 7.1 General
7.1 Application
Division 7.2 Monitoring requirements
7.2 Project monitoring
Division 7.3 Record-keeping requirements
7.3 Records that must be kept
7.4 Stratum records
7.5 Project tree measures
7.6 Carbon stock calculations
7.7 Allometric functions
7.8 Sampling plans and project operational records
7.9 Quality assurance and control
7.10 Fuel use
Division 7.4 Offsets report requirements
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Measurement Based Methods for New Farm Forestry Plantations) Methodology Determination 2014
made under the
Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011
Compilation No. 1
Compilation date: 1 July 2015
Includes amendments up to: Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative—Emissions Reduction Fund) Methodology Determination Variation 2015
About this compilation
This compilation
This is a compilation of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Measurement Based Methods for New Farm Forestry Plantations) Methodology Determination 2014 that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 1 July 2015 (the compilation date).
This compilation was prepared on 1 July 2015 by the Department of the Environment.
The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of provisions of the compiled law.
Uncommenced amendments
The effect of uncommenced amendments is not shown in the text of the compiled law. Any uncommenced amendments affecting the law are accessible on ComLaw (www.comlaw.gov.au). The details of amendments made up to, but not commenced at, the compilation date are underlined in the endnotes. For more information on any uncommenced amendments, see the series page on ComLaw for the compiled law.
Application, saving and transitional provisions for provisions and amendments
If the operation of a provision or amendment of the compiled law is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.
Modifications
If the compiled law is modified by another law, the compiled law operates as modified but the modification does not amend the text of the law. Accordingly, this compilation does not show the text of the compiled law as modified. For more information on any modifications, see the series page on ComLaw for the compiled law.
Self‑repealing provisions
If a provision of the compiled law has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.
Contents
Part 1 Preliminary
1.1 Name of determination
1.2 Duration
1.3 Definitions
1.4 Kind of project to which this Determination applies
Part 2 Requirements for declaration as eligible project
2.1 Eligible projects
2.2 Location
2.3 Project land characteristics
2.4 Project mechanisms
2.5 Project types
2.6 Identification of project area
Part 3 Delineating boundaries
3.1 Division of project area into strata
3.2 Requirements for strata
3.3 Delineating stratum boundaries
3.4 Ortho-rectified aerial imagery
3.5 Growth disturbances
3.6 Revision of strata affected by growth disturbance
3.7 Requirements for disturbance-affected strata
3.8 Requirements for fire-affected strata
3.9 Requirements for revisions of strata boundaries
Part 4 Project operation
4.1 Change of project type
4.2 Preparation burns
4.3 Removal of non-project trees for a project
4.4 Removal of project tree biomass from a permanent planting project
4.5 Specifying the management regime for a harvest project
4.6 Change of management regime for a harvest project
4.7 Removal of project tree biomass from a harvest project
4.8 Requirements for operation of a harvest project
4.9 Estimating predicted project average carbon stocks
4.10 Requirements for estimating predicted project average carbon stocks
Part 5 Methods for estimating net project abatement
Division 5.1 Estimating project removals
Subdivision 5.1.1 General
5.1 General
Subdivision 5.1.2 Carbon inventory
5.2 Carbon inventory
5.3 Precision standard
Subdivision 5.1.3 Allometric functions
5.4 Allometric functions for live project trees
5.5 Stratum-specific functions
5.6 Regional functions
5.7 CFI function
5.8 Converting a stratum-specific function to a regional function
5.9 Allometric domain
5.10 Regression analysis
5.11 Minimum data requirements
5.12 Regression requirements
5.13 Allometric report
Subdivision 5.1.4 Applicability of allometric functions
5.14 Testing the applicability of allometric functions
5.15 Compatibility checks
5.16 Validation test
5.17 Reporting requirements for compatibility and validation tests
Subdivision 5.1.5 Allometric functions for live trees
5.18 Developing allometric functions for live trees
5.19 Developing stratum-specific functions
5.20 Updating pre-existing stratum-specific functions
5.21 Developing and updating regional functions
5.22 Converting a stratum-specific function to a regional function
5.23 Updating a CFI function
Subdivision 5.1.6 Measuring biomass sample trees
5.24 Measuring above-ground biomass of biomass sample trees
5.25 Measuring below-ground biomass of biomass sample trees
5.26 Assessing carbon stocks in the roots of harvested trees for harvest projects
Subdivision 5.1.7 Assessing carbon stocks in dead or burnt trees
5.27 Biomass prediction in dead or burnt trees
5.28 Testing for over prediction of a dead or burnt tree biomass
Subdivision 5.1.8 Assessing carbon stocks in coarse woody debris and litter
5.29 Assessing carbon stocks in coarse woody debris
5.30 Assessing carbon stocks in litter
Division 5.2 Calculating project emissions
5.31 Calculating fuel emissions from project activities
5.32 Calculating fire emissions from a stratum
Part 6 Calculating the carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount for a project
Division 6.1 Preliminary
6.1 General
6.2 Greenhouse gas assessment boundary
6.3 Calculating the baseline for the project
6.4 Requirements for calculating carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement
Division 6.2 Calculations
Subdivision 6.2.1 Calculating carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount
6.5 General
Subdivision 6.2.2 Calculating net greenhouse gas abatement for a project
6.6 Equation 1.1—Calculating net greenhouse gas abatement for the project area
6.7 Equation 1.2—90% confidence interval for net greenhouse gas abatement
6.8 Equation 1.3—Standard error for net greenhouse gas abatement for the project area
6.9 Equation 1.4—Degrees of freedom with unequal variances
Subdivision 6.2.3 Calculating carbons stocks for a project
6.10 Equation 2.1 & 2.2—Change in carbon stocks within the project
6.11 Equation 2.3—Standard error for change in carbon stocks within a project for the first offsets report
6.12 Equation 2.4—Standard error for change in carbon stocks within a project
6.13 Equation 2.5—Initial carbon stocks for a project
6.14 Equation 2.6—Standard error for the initial carbon stocks for the project
6.15 Equation 2.7—Closing carbon stocks for a project
6.16 Equation 2.8—Standard error for the closing carbon stocks for the project
6.17 Equation 2.9—Lower confidence bound for closing carbon stocks for the project
6.18 Equation 2.10—Predicted project average carbon stocks for a harvest project
6.19 Equation 2.11—Predicted stratum average carbon stocks for a harvest project
6.20 Equation 2.12—Predicted stratum carbon stocks for a harvest project
6.21 Equation 3.1—Initial carbon stocks for a stratum
6.22 Equation 3.2 —Standard error for initial carbon stocks for a stratum
6.23 Equation 3.3—Closing carbon stocks for a stratum.
6.24 Equation 3.4—Standard error for closing carbon stocks for a stratum
6.25 Equation 3.5—Mean plot carbon stocks for a stratum
6.26 Equation 3.6—Standard error for mean plot carbon stocks for a stratum
6.27 Equation 4.1—Carbon stocks within a plot
6.28 Equation 4.2—Carbon stocks of trees in a plot
6.29 Equation 4.3—Carbon stocks in the roots of harvested trees for a harvest project
6.30 Equation 4.4—Carbon stocks in litter within a plot
6.31 Equation 4.5—Biomass in litter within a plot
6.32 Equation 4.6—Carbon stocks in coarse woody debris within a plot
6.33 Equation 4.7—Carbon stocks in coarse woody debris within a decay class
6.34 Equation 4.8—Volume of coarse woody debris within a decay class
6.35 Equation 4.9—Biomass of project trees in a plot
6.36 Equation 4.10—Biomass in the roots of harvested trees in a plot for a harvest project
6.37 Equation 4.11—Biomass in the roots of harvested trees under a replant system
6.38 Equation 4.12—Carbon stocks in the roots of harvested trees under a coppice system
Subdivision 6.2.4 Calculating project emissions
6.39 Equation 5.1—Calculating project emissions for a reporting period
6.40 Equation 5.2—Standard error for project emissions
6.41 Equation 5.3—Calculating fuel emissions for a stratum
6.42 Equation 5.4—Calculating emissions for a type of fuel
Subdivision 6.2.5 Calculating fire emissions for a fire-affected stratum
6.43 Equation 5.5—Emissions for a fire-affected stratum
6.44 Equation 5.6—Emissions of methane from fire
6.45 Equation 5.7—Emissions of nitrous oxide from fire
6.46 Equation 5.8—Weight of elemental carbon emitted from fire
6.47 Equation 5.9—Standard error for emissions from a fire-affected stratum
6.48 Equation 5.10—Standard error for emissions of methane from fire
6.49 Equation 5.11—Standard error for emissions of nitrous oxide from fire
6.50 Equation 5.12—Standard error for weight of elemental carbon emitted from fire
Subdivision 6.2.6 Calculating probable limits of error
6.51 Equation 6.1—Probable limits of error for closing carbon stocks
6.52 Equation 6.2—Estimating number of plots required to meet the target probable limits of error
Subdivision 6.2.7 Allometric equations
6.53 Equation 7.1—Form of allometric equations
6.54 Equation 7.2—Total tree biomass or above-ground biomass for a dead or burnt tree
6.55 Equation 7.3—Total biomass for a biomass sample tree or test tree
Subdivision 6.2.8 Root biomass from a root:shoot ratio
6.56 Estimating root biomass from a root:shoot ratio
6.57 Equation 7.4—Above-ground biomass for a biomass sample tree, or test tree
6.58 Equation 7.5—Total root biomass of a tree
6.59 Equation 7.6—Dry weight of biomass components of trees
6.60 Equation 7.7—Mean of residuals
6.61 Equation 7.8—weighting factor for weighted least squares regression
Division 6.3 Data collection
6.62 Data collection for project greenhouse gas emissions
6.63 Data collection for project greenhouse gas sequestration
Part 7 Monitoring, record-keeping and reporting requirements
Division 7.1 General
7.1 Application
Division 7.2 Monitoring requirements
7.2 Project monitoring
Division 7.3 Record-keeping requirements
7.3 Records that must be kept
7.4 Stratum records
7.5 Project tree measures
7.6 Carbon stock calculations
7.7 Allometric functions
7.8 Sampling plans and project operational records
7.9 Quality assurance and control
7.10 Fuel use
Division 7.4 Offsets report requirements
Subdivision 7.4.1 Information that must be included in the first offsets report
7.11 General
7.12 Project information
7.13 Strata description and status
7.14 Baseline land use history and forest cover history for strata
7.15 Quality assurance and control
Subdivision 7.4.2 Information that must be included in all offsets reports
7.16 General
7.17 Project information
7.18 Strata location and area
7.19 Stratum description and status
7.20 Carbon stocks for stratum
7.21 Carbon stocks for plots
7.22 Management regime and PPACS modelling
7.23 Basis of allometric function applied to a stratum
7.24 Application of allometric functions
7.25 Sampling plans
7.26 Growth disturbance events
7.27 Quality assurance and control
7.28 Fuel use
Division 7.5 Reporting under section 77A of the Act
7.29 No division of stratum area
Endnotes
Endnote 1—About the endnotes
Endnote 2—Abbreviation key
Endnote 3—Legislation history
Endnote 4—Amendment history
Part 1 Preliminary
1.1 Name of determination
This Determination is the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Measurement Based Methods for New Farm Forestry Plantations) Methodology Determination 2014.
1.2 Duration
Note See subsection 122(1) of the Act.
This Determination:
(a) commences on the day after it is registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments; and
(b) unless sooner revoked, expires on the day before it would otherwise be repealed under subsection 50(1) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.
Note This Determination will expire on the first 31 March or 30 September on or after the tenth anniversary of its registration.
1.3 Definitions
In this Determination:
above-ground biomass means all material in a tree above the soil substrate and includes stem, crown, and attached dead material such as dead branches.
Act means the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011.
actual location coordinates means spatial coordinates that are collected on the ground using a global positioning system, and that define the location of plots, biomass sample plots and biomass sample trees.
allometric data range means the range between the smallest and largest values of the explanatory variables included within an allometric dataset.
allometric dataset means variables that are:
(a) recorded from biomass sample trees; and
(b) used to develop or validate an allometric function.
allometric domain means the specific conditions under which an allometric function is applicable.
allometric function means a regression equation that describes relationships between biometric measures of specified plant taxa which is used to predict biomass, and may be stratum-specific or region-specific-.
allometric report means a document that describes a project proponent’s approach to the development of allometric functions and that meets the requirements set out in section 5.13.
below-ground biomass means all material in a tree below the soil substrate and includes the tap root or lignotuber, and the lateral roots.
biomass means dry, vegetation-derived organic matter.
biomass component means sections of trees that are divided on the basis of structure or form or both.
biomass sample plot means an area of land that occurs within a biomass sample site and is delineated in accordance with Part 5.
biomass sample site means an area of land in which biomass sample plots are located for the purpose of developing a regional function.
biomass sample tree means a tree selected for destructive sampling in order to develop an allometric function.
burnt tree means a tree that has lost biomass in a fire
carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) means the equivalent mass of carbon dioxide for a given mass of greenhouse gas or carbon. For carbon it is calculated by multiplying the mass of elemental carbon by .
carbon inventory means an estimation of carbon stocks by sampling and measurements conducted in accordance with Subdivision 5.1.2.
carbon stock means the quantity of carbon, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent, held within specified components of project forest biomass.
CFI function means a stratum-specific or regional function that was developed in compliance with an existing CFI methodology determination.
CFI Mapping Guidelines means the Carbon Farming Initiative Mapping Guidelines, as published from time to time, to be used for mapping project areas and strata within project areas, and available on the Department’s website.
CFI methodology determination means a legislative instrument made under section 106 or varied under section 114 of the Act.
CFI rainfall map means the map:
(a) that shows long‑term average annual rainfall; and
(b) that uses data that is:
(i) collected by the Bureau of Meteorology; and
(ii) processed by the Department; and
(c) published on the Department’s website; and
(d) as in force:
(i) in relation to a project area or part of a project area the subject of an application under regulations or legislative rules made for the purposes of section 29 of the Act—at the time of that application; or
(ii) otherwise—at
This is an opening excerpt, not the complete document.