What's New at Community Forestry International

COMMUNITY FORESTRY CARBON OFFSET PROJECT,
ODDAR MEANCHEY, CAMBODIA

Overview

The Royal Government of Cambodia and the Forestry Administration, along with Community Forestry International and Terra Global Capital have recently developed the first Cambodian “avoided deforestation” project. The project involves 12 community forestry (CF) groups, comprised of 55 villages, which protect 60,245 hectares of forest land in the Northwestern province of Oddar Meanchey. The project will be one of the first to use a new methodology and be submitted under the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) and the Climate Community and Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA) guidelines. The project is expected to sequester 8.7 million metric tons of CO2 over 30 years, demonstrating how developing countries can generate income from the carbon markets and positively impact climate change.

Why was Oddar Meanchey Selected?

Oddar Meanchey province provides an ideal site for developing the project. The province’s forests have been under intense pressure from commercial and illegal loggers, forest fire, economic land concessions and encroachment, losing 2.1% of its forests each year from 2002 – 2006. A growing number of communities in the province have been protecting the remaining natural forests as community forestry areas, some of the largest CFs in the country. Project sites include larger tracts of healthy closed canopy forests, as well as degraded forests suitable for restoration.

Who are the Supporting Partners?

Initiated by Community Forestry International and adopted by the Forestry Administration, the project is funded by the Royal Danish Embassy (Danida) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Terra Global Capital, LLC has provided the technical work for the carbon measurement and monetization of the project’s carbon credits. The Oddar Meanchey Provincial Government, the local NGO Children’s Development Association (CDA), and the Monk’s CF Association have also contributed time and effort to develop and implement the project at the provincial level.

What are the Expected Benefits?

This project supports sustainable forest management and livelihood development in Oddar Meanchey province by providing financing through carbon credits generated through forest protection. The project not only assists rural people to gain legal tenure rights over local forests, it creates a 30-year income stream that will significantly enhance household livelihoods and natural resource management capacity. The project seeks to retain and increase carbon stocks in these areas, enhancing the hydrology in the upland watersheds of the Tonle Sap Basin, as well as conserving endangered biodiversity. Carbon financing will be used to support rural communities to develop a range of livelihood activities including non-timber forest product enterprises, community-based ecotourism infrastructure, and water resource development. The project would also work with the Forestry Administration and commune, district and provincial government to formulate long term plans for sustainable natural resource management to foster economic growth.

What is the Commitment of the Royal Government of Cambodia?

In May 2008, the project was officially endorsed by H.E. Prime Minister Hun Sen through Sar Chhor Nor699. The guiding principles ensure that carbon revenues are used to:

Improve the forest quality

• Provide maximum benefits to local communities which participate in the project activities
• Study the potential area for new REDD projects in Cambodia.

The Sar Chhor Nor 699 confirms the high-level commitment of the Royal Government of Cambodia to make the project a success and use its revenues effectively. The success of the Oddar Meanchey project will open the door for long term financing for Cambodia’s national community forestry program, which could eventually encompass and protect over 2 million hectares of forest, according to the Government’s stated goals.

Background on Avoided Deforestation Projects/REDD
REDD = Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation

The initiative is based on a new framework called REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) which received international support at the thirteenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Decision CP.13) COP 13 in Bali, Indonesia in December, 2007. Under REDD, developed countries are willing to provide payments to compensate developing nations for forests that are sustainably managed. Currently these payments are available through Voluntary Emissions Reduction markets. After 2012, A Post-Kyoto agreement may see payments available through the official CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) market as well. REDD is a new approach to climate mitigation which gives greater recognition to the importance of protecting and sustainably managing tropical forest resources in developing countries. It is estimated that 17% of global CO2 emissions originate from the loss of forests associated with land use and land cover changes.

What are the Major Project Risks?

The major causes of deforestation in Oddar Meanchey include:

• Economic land concessions
• Migrant forest encroachment
• Forest fires
• Illegal logging

Community forestry groups can help control these forces, but only with the support of local and national governments. New payments through carbon credits can deliver long term funding to ensure more sustainable and productive management of Oddar Meanchey’s valuable forests.

Project Strategy – Enhancing Forest Protection

Mobilizing communities to protect forests is already demonstrating effectiveness in halting deforestation and degradation in CF areas. Key activities supported under the project would include:

• Social Fencing – CF Group Strengthening, Formulation and Adoption of Management Resolution
• Networking with FA Triage and with neighboring villages
• Strengthening Tenurial Authority – Mapping and boundary demarcation
• Woodfuel Savings - Introduction of improved cook stoves
• Fire Control – Fire line construction, fuel load reduction, fire brigade
• Illegal Logging Control – Volunteer patrols, forest watchers
• Stronger Coordination with Commune, District, and Provincial Representatives
• Creation of financial incentives for successful protection
• Development of annual carbon stock monitoring systems
• Agricultural intensification

Enhancing Forest Carbon Stocks

The REDD project provides regeneration contracts to all participating CF Management Committees to restore their degraded forests through silvicultural treatments including multiple-shoot cutting, clearing around seedlings, enrichment planting, water harvesting, and other methods. Restoration contracts would be based on CFMC management plans, providing employment opportunities, materials, and funding CFMC operations. Increases in carbon stocks in regenerating forests would provide additional income into commune and community funds that could be used for livelihood and infrastructure development activities.

For more information:

Dr. Mark Poffenberger
Executive Director
Community Forestry International (CFI)
mpoffen@aol.com
Tel: (1) 530 721 1440

Ms. Amanda Bradley
Country Director
Community Forestry International (CFI)
amandabradley@cfi-cambodia.org.kh
Tel: (855 12) 909 502

Ms. Leslie Durschinger
Managing Director
Terra Global Capital
leslie.durschinger@terraglobalcapital.com
Tel: (1) 415 215 5941

Mr. Long Ratanakoma
Deputy
Community Forestry Office
koma-long@yahoo.com
Tel: (855 12) 854 314