80Assessing carbon stock in fallen dead wood

80 Assessing carbon stock in fallen dead wood

(1) If a project proponent chooses to assess the carbon stock in fallen dead wood, the assessment process specified in this section must be undertaken.

Assessment process

(2) For each plot to be assessed, fallen dead wood in the plot must be collected.

(3) In the case where a piece of fallen dead wood in the plot extends beyond the boundaries of the plot, a project proponent may:

(a) cut the piece of fallen dead wood so that only the proportion occurring within the plot is collected; or

(b) exclude that piece of fallen dead wood from the assessment.

(4) The wet weight of the fallen dead wood that has been collected must be recorded and documented in a sampling plan.

(5) For all plots assessed on each day, or at least the first 3 plots assessed on each day, a sub‑sample from the fallen dead wood must be collected by taking at least 3 cross‑sectional discs from randomly selected pieces of the fallen dead wood.

(6) The wet weight of each sub‑sample collected in accordance with subsection (5) must be recorded immediately after collection and documented in a sampling plan.

(7) The remainder of the fallen dead wood must be scattered uniformly over the plot.

(8) The sub‑samples specified in subsection (5) must be oven‑dried to constant weight between 70 and 80 degrees Celsius.

(9) The dry weight of the sub‑samples oven‑dried in accordance with subsection (8) must be recorded and documented in a sampling plan.

(10) The dry‑to‑wet weight ratio of each sub‑sample must be calculated by dividing the dry weight for a sub‑sample by its wet weight.

(11) When the dry‑to‑wet weight ratio of each sub‑sample has been calculated in accordance with subsection (10), the average of the ratios must be calculated.

(12) The average dry‑to‑wet weight ratio specified in subsection (11) must be used to estimate the dry weight of the fallen dead wood collected and weighed on the same day that the sub‑samples specified in subsection (5) were collected.

(13) The carbon stock contained in the fallen dead wood in the plot must be calculated using Equation 18.