Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Reforestation and Afforestation—1.2) Methodology Determination 2013

1 Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Reforestation and Afforestation—1.2) Methodology Determination 2013

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Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Reforestation and Afforestation—1.2) Methodology Determination 20131

Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011

I, Yvette D’Ath, Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change, Industry and Innovation, make this Methodology Determination under subsection 106(1) of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011.

Dated 25 June 2013

YVETTE D’ATH

Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change, Industry and Innovation

Contents

Part 1 Preliminary

1.1 Name of determination 7

1.2 Commencement 7

1.3 Definitions 7

1.4 Type of project to which this Determination applies 13

Part 2 Requirements for declaration as eligible project

2.1 Eligible projects 15

2.2 Location 15

2.3 Project land characteristics 15

2.4 Project mechanisms 16

2.5 Identification of project area 16

Part 3 Delineating boundaries

3.1 Division of project area into strata 17

3.2 Minimum requirement for a stratum 17

3.3 Delineating stratum boundaries 17

3.4 Ortho-rectified aerial imagery 19

3.5 Growth disturbances 19

3.6 Revision of stratum affected by growth disturbance 20

3.7 Requirements for disturbance affected stratum 20

3.8 Requirements for fire affected stratum 20

3.9 Requirements for revisions of strata boundaries 20

Part 4 Project operation

4.1 Removal of trees 22

4.2 Preparation burns 23

4.3 Restrictions relating to fertiliser use 23

Part 5 Methods for estimating net project abatement

Division 5.1 Estimating project removals

Subdivision 5.1.1 General

5.1 General 24

Subdivision 5.1.2 Conducting a full inventory

5.2 Conducting a full inventory 24

Subdivision 5.1.3 Sampling plans

5.3 Developing and documenting a sampling plan 25

5.4 Sampling plan information for full inventory and PSP assessment 26

5.5 Sampling plan information for stratum specific functions 27

5.6 Sampling plan information for regional functions 27

Subdivision 5.1.4 Location of plots

5.7 Determining the location of plots 28

Subdivision 5.1.5 Establishing and assessing plots

5.8 Establishing and assessing plots during full inventory 30

5.9 Target probable limit of error—full inventory 30

5.10 Establishing plots 30

5.11 Plot shape 32

5.12 Plot size 32

5.13 Identifying and marking plots 32

5.14 Plot visits during full inventory 33

5.15 Collection of information during plot visits 33

5.16 Ex post analysis of plots 34

Subdivision 5.1.6 PSP assessments

5.17 Conducting PSP assessments 34

5.18 General requirements for PSP assessments 34

5.19 Ex post analysis of PSPs 35

Subdivision 5.1.7 Plots located close to stratum boundaries

5.20 Dealing with plots located close to stratum boundaries 35

5.21 Edge plots 36

5.22 Plot carbon stocks 36

Subdivision 5.1.8 Allometric functions

5.23 Applying species specific allometric functions 36

5.24 Allometric domain 37

5.25 Regression fitting 37

5.26 Minimum data requirements 38

5.27 Minimum regression fit requirements 38

5.28 Variance of weighted residuals 39

5.29 Allometric report 39

Subdivision 5.1.9 Allometric functions for live trees

5.30 Developing allometric functions for live trees 40

5.31 Developing stratum specific functions 41

5.32 Updating pre-existing stratum specific functions 42

5.33 Regional functions 43

5.34 Converting a stratum specific function to a regional function 44

Subdivision 5.1.10 Assessing biomass sample trees

5.35 Assessing above-ground biomass of biomass sample trees 44

5.36 Assessing below-ground biomass of biomass sample trees 45

5.37 Assessing biomass of entire biomass sample tree 47

5.38 Record keeping and reporting 47

Subdivision 5.1.11 Allometric functions for other trees

5.39 Developing allometric functions for trees other than live trees 47

Subdivision 5.1.12 Applicability of allometric functions

5.40 Testing the applicability of allometric functions 48

5.41 Compatibility checks 48

5.42 Validation test 48

5.43 Reporting requirements 50

Subdivision 5.1.13 Assessing carbon stocks in fallen dead wood and litter

5.44 Assessing carbon stocks in litter 50

5.45 Assessing carbon stocks in fallen dead wood 51

Division 5.2 Calculating project emissions

5.46 Calculating fuel emissions from project activities 52

5.47 Calculating fire emissions from a stratum 52

Part 6 Calculating the carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount for a project in relation to a reporting period

Division 6.1 Preliminary

6.1 General 53

6.2 Greenhouse gas assessment boundary 53

6.3 Calculating the baseline for the project 54

6.4 Requirements for calculating carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement 54

Division 6.2 Calculations

Subdivision 6.2.1 Calculating carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount

6.5 General 55

6.6 Calculating the carbon dioxide equivalent net abatement amount 56

6.7 Calculating uncertainty for net abatement amount 56

6.8 Calculating standard error for net abatement amount 57

6.9 Calculating degrees of freedom for net abatement amount 57

Subdivision 6.2.2 Calculating carbon stock change

6.10 Calculating carbon stock change for a project 58

6.11 Calculating carbon stock change for a stratum 59

Subdivision 6.2.3 Calculating initial carbon stocks for a stratum

6.12 Calculating initial carbon stocks for a stratum 61

Subdivision 6.2.4 Calculating closing carbon stocks for a stratum

6.13 Calculating closing carbon stocks for a stratum based on full inventory 63

6.14 Calculating closing carbon stocks for a stratum based on PSP assessment 64

Subdivision 6.2.5 Calculating lower confidence bound

6.15 Calculating the lower confidence bound for closing carbon stocks for a stratum 67

6.16 Calculating the lower confidence bound for mean ratio of change in PSP carbon stocks 67

Subdivision 6.2.6 Calculating mean ratio of change in PSP carbon stocks

6.17 Calculating the mean ratio of change in PSP carbon stocks 68

6.18 Calculating the ratio of change in PSP carbon stocks 69

Subdivision 6.2.7 Calculating mean plot carbon stocks for a stratum

6.19 Calculating mean plot carbon stocks for a stratum 70

Subdivision 6.2.8 Calculating carbon stocks in a plot

6.20 Calculating carbon stocks within a plot assessed as part of full inventory 71

6.21 Calculating carbon stocks within a PSP assessed as part of PSP assessment 72

Subdivision 6.2.9 Calculating carbon stocks in trees, fallen dead wood, and litter

6.22 Calculating carbon stocks in live trees within a plot 73

6.23 Calculating carbon stocks in live fire affected trees within a plot 73

6.24 Calculating carbon stocks in dead standing trees within a plot 74

6.25 Calculating carbon stocks in dead standing fire affected trees within a plot 74

6.26 Calculating carbon stocks in litter within a plot 75

6.27 Calculating carbon stocks in fallen dead wood within a plot 75

Subdivision 6.2.10 Calculating biomass in trees

6.28 Calculating biomass in live trees within a plot 76

6.29 Calculating biomass in live fire affected trees within a plot 76

6.30 Calculating biomass in dead standing trees within a plot 76

6.31 Calculating biomass in dead standing fire affected trees within a plot 77

Subdivision 6.2.11 Calculating project emissions

6.32 Calculating project emissions 77

6.33 Calculating fuel emissions for a stratum 79

6.34 Calculating emissions for fossil fuel types 79

Subdivision 6.2.12 Calculating emissions for fire affected strata

6.35 Calculating emissions for a fire affected stratum 80

6.36 Calculating the standard error for fire emissions 82

Subdivision 6.2.13 Calculating probable limit of error

6.37 Calculating probable limit of error for carbon stock estimates 84

6.38 Calculating number of plots required for probable limit of error 84

Subdivision 6.2.14 Calculating biomass for biomass sample trees and test trees

6.39 Calculating total biomass for biomass sample trees and test trees 85

6.40 Calculating below-ground biomass 85

6.41 Calculating above-ground biomass for biomass sample trees and test trees 86

6.42 Calculating below-ground biomass for biomass sample trees and test trees from a root:shoot biomass ratio 86

6.43 Calculating the dry weight of biomass components for biomass sample trees and test trees 87

6.44 Calculating the variance of weighted residuals for biomass sample trees and test trees 87

6.45 Calculating the F-test statistic 88

Division 6.3 Data collection

6.46 Project emissions 90

6.47 Project removals 90

Part 7 Monitoring, record-keeping and reporting requirements

Division 7.1 General

7.1 Application 91

Division 7.2 Monitoring requirements

7.2 Project monitoring 91

Division 7.3 Record-keeping requirements

7.3 Records that must be kept 92

7.4 Stratum records 92

7.5 Project tree measures 92

7.6 Carbon stock calculations 92

7.7 Allometric functions 92

7.8 Sampling plans 93

7.9 Quality assurance and control 93

7.10 Fuel use 93

Division 7.4 Offsets report requirements

Subdivision 7.4.1 Information that must be included in the first offsets report

7.11 General 93

7.12 Project information 93

7.13 Stratum description and status 94

7.14 Baseline land use history and forest cover history for strata 94

7.15 Quality assurance and control 95

Subdivision 7.4.2 Information that must be included in all offsets reports

7.16 General 95

7.17 Project information 95

7.18 Strata location and area 95

7.19 Stratum description and status 96

7.20 Carbon stocks for stratum 96

7.21 Carbon stocks for plots 97

7.22 Basis of allometric function applied to a stratum 98

7.23 Application of allometric functions 98

7.24 Sampling plans 98

7.25 Growth disturbance events 98

7.26 Quality assurance and control 99

7.27 Fuel use 99

Part 1 Preliminary

1.1 Name of determination

This Determination is the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Reforestation and Afforestation—1.2) Methodology Determination 2013.

1.2 Commencement

This Determination is taken to have come into force on 1 July 2010.

1.3 Definitions

In this Determination:

above-ground biomass means all material in a tree above the level of mineral earth 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.

actual plot size means the area of a plot as physically measured on the ground.

allometric data range means the range between the smallest and largest predictor measures included within an allometric dataset.

allometric dataset means predictor measures and biomass measurements that are:

1. recorded from biomass sample trees; and
2. used to develop an allometric function.

allometric domain means the specific conditions under which an allometric function is applicable.

allometric function means a species-specific regression function fitted to a scatter of data points that relate predictor measures collected through a non‑destructive measurement process to a measure of the weight of biomass within a project tree, and includes stratum specific and regional functions.

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 5.29.

below-ground biomass means all material in a tree below the level of mineral earth and includes the tap root or lignotuber, and the lateral roots.

belt plantings means discrete patches of project trees that have been established in a linear or curvilinear ‘belt’ pattern where width measured across the belt is no wider than 50 metres.

belt plot means a plot that meets the requirements set out in subsection 5.7(11).

biomass means dry, vegetation-derived organic matter.

biomass components 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 randomly located and from which biomass sample trees are randomly selected, for the purposes of developing a regional function.

biomass sample tree means a tree selected for destructive sampling in order to develop an allometric function.

block plantings means discrete patches of project trees established so the average minimum width of the patches is greater than 50 metres.

bulked sample means a sample of litter collected through combining 4 smaller samples into a single sample.

carbon dioxide equivalent means the carbon dioxide mass equivalent, calculated by multiplying the mass of elemental carbon by .

carbon fraction means the proportion, by mass, of dry organic matter that is composed of carbon.

carbon stocks means the quantity of carbon, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent, held within project forest biomass.

CFI Mapping Guidelines means the guidelines of that name, 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.

circular plot means a plot that meets the requirements set out in subsection 5.7(10).

closing carbon stocks means the amount of carbon, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent, estimated to be held within the project forest biomass occurring within a stratum at the end of a reporting period.

commencement means the point in time at which preparation of a stratum for planting begins.

crown means non-woody, above-ground tree structures that include branches, twigs, petioles, and leaves, and that are involved in photosynthesis or supporting photosynthetic structures.

crown cover means the amount of land covered by the outer limits of the crown (viewed as a horizontal cross-section) of a tree, or collection of trees.

dead material means dead material that:

1. comes from a project tree;
2. remains attached to the tree;
3. is suspended above ground; and
4. includes hanging bark, dead branches, stems and leaves.

dead standing fire affected tree means a dead tree that shows obvious signs of having been affected by fire and that remains in an upright, vertical position.

dead standing tree means a dead tree that shows no signs of having been affected by fire and which remains in an upright vertical position.

declaration date, for a project, means the date on which the declaration of the project as an eligible offsets project under section 27 of the Act takes effect.

Department means the Department that administers the Act.

disturbance affected stratum means a stratum that has been subject to a growth disturbance event, other than fire—see section 3.6.

establishment phase means a period of land and project-forest management that is applied to a stratum from 6 months before the planting start date through to 3 years following the planting finish date.

extant project forest means an area of land covered by project forest at a specified time or during a specified reporting period.

fallen dead wood means dead woody stem or branch components, or both, that:

(a) have a cross-sectional diameter of more than 2.5 centimetres;

(b) come from a project tree; and

(c) occur at ground level.

fire affected stratum means an area of project forest that has experienced a fire event and that has been dealt with in accordance with Part 3.

fire emissions means emissions of methane (CH4) or nitrous oxide (N2O) arising from fire events.

fire event means an occurrence of a fire in a stratum or strata.

forest means land on which trees:

(a) have attained, or have the potential to attain, a crown cover of at least 20% across the area of land; and

(b) have reached, or have