Revision to VM0047: Methodology for Afforestation, Reforestation and Revegetation Projects, v1.0

VM0047, v1.0 currently applies to afforestation, reforestation and revegetation project activities, resulting in removals of GHG from the atmosphere, and is applicable to all afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation activities that do not take place on organic soils or wetlands and result in an intentional manipulation of the water table, or that do not take place in tidal wetlands.

The proposed revision to VM0047 aims to expand applicability by broadening the project boundary to account for emission sources from drained organic soil.

The methodology idea note was rejected by Verra, as per Section 3.1.6(3) of the VCS Methodology Development and Review Process, v4.3 (PDF). The decision was based on:

• The new VM0047 Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation, v1.0 (active 28 September 2023) includes a conditional statement for project activities on wetland soils:
  “This methodology is not applicable under the following conditions: Project activities that occur on organic soils or in wetlands and result in a manipulation of the water table. Planting species that do not naturally occur in organic soils or wetlands is considered a manipulation of the water table. Where projects take place on organic soils or wetlands and manipulate the water table, they must be developed using a multiple project activity design applying this methodology and a Wetland Restoration and Conservation methodology (e.g., VM0036 Methodology for Rewetting Drained Temperate Peatlands). In such cases, the project activities must comply with all applicable conditions of the selected Wetland Restoration and Conservation methodology and this methodology.”
• Revisions to the procedures for ARR project activities on drained organic soils would need to be supported and reflected in the Wetland Restoration and Conservation (WRC) Requirements. For eligible WRC activities that increase net GHG removals by restoring wetland ecosystems or that reduce GHG emissions by rewetting or avoiding degradation, the procedures and GHG quantifications are contained within blue carbon methodologies (i.e. restoration or conservation of peatlands).