VM0047 Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation, v1.1

This methodology applies to afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation (ARR) activities that establish, increase, or restore vegetative cover in non-forest areas or enhance forest carbon stocks in areas with existing forest cover. The methodology quantifies carbon removals from these activities and provides two approaches for quantifying such carbon removals:

• Area-based approach: This approach applies to ARR projects that change land cover from non-forest to forest or enhance stocks in existing forests. Detectable changes in vegetative cover measured using remote sensing and plot-based sampling serve as the basis for quantifying carbon removals. This approach uses a dynamic performance benchmark (PB) to assess additionality and determine the crediting baseline at each verification. The PB is derived from ex-post observations that compare the change in the vegetative stocking index (SI) between remotely sensed project and matched control plots.
• Census-based approach: The census-based approach applies to ARR projects that do not occur in forests and do not result in land use changes. This approach enables the inclusion of ARR activities that would otherwise be difficult to cover under the area-based approach and where a full census of plantings is feasible. This approach best suits dispersed planting activities (e.g., urban forestry, agroforestry, shelterbelts, and revegetation activities that do not meet the forest definition). Under this approach, additionality is demonstrated using a project method and to determine the crediting baseline. Under the census-based approach, projects are exempt from applying leakage deduction because projects do not result in a change to existing land use.

VMD0054 Module for Estimating Leakage from ARR Activities must be applied in conjunction with projects that use the area-based approach to account for leakage related to the displacement of pre-project agricultural activities caused by the baseline agent or other actors.

Verra has vetted the following data service providers (DSPs) to provide data for dynamic baselines for projects using VM0047. The DSPs’ approaches to providing stocking index (SI) data that meets VM0047’s performance benchmark requirements.

Vetted DSPs

NOTE: While listing vetted DSPs is meant to streamline the selection process, projects using VM0047 can contract any DSP to provide data for their projects. Also, a DSP’s completion of Verra’s vetting process does not guarantee acceptance of a project or approval of the data provided for a specific project’s SI. Both projects and data will still be independently reviewed by Verra and a validation/verification body (VVB).

Opportunity to Become a Vetted DSP

Verra is accepting Expressions of Interest from additional third‑party DSPs with the capacity to support VM0047 and invites interested parties to complete the form below. DSPs that successfully pass Verra’s vetting process will then be included on this webpage and in the Verra Project Hub.