Verra is reviewing all Improved Forest Management (IFM) methodologies in the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program that credit emission reduction and removal activities on forest lands managed for the harvest of wood products. The review will ensure that the methodologies continue to reflect the best available science and technology and remain responsive to policy conditions.
The review will inform revisions to the existing IFM methodologies to eliminate the duplication of project activities across multiple methodologies. Some of these changes may shorten future project development timelines. Findings from the review will also guide the development of new IFM methodologies that use dynamic performance benchmarks for a wide range of project activities and regions.
The methodologies under review include:
- VM0003 Methodology for Improved Forest Management through Extension of Rotation Age, v1.3
- VM0005 Methodology for Conversion of Low-Productive Forest to High-Productive Forest, v1.2
- VM0010 Methodology for Improved Forest Management: Conversion from Logged to Protected Forest, v1.3
- VM0012 Improved Forest Management in Temperate and Boreal Forests (LtPF), v1.2
- VM0034 Canadian Forest Carbon Offset Methodology, v2.0
- VM0035 Methodology for Improved Forest Management through Reduced Impact Logging, v1.0
- VM0045 Methodology for Improved Forest Management Using Dynamic Matched Baselines from National Forest Inventories, v1.0
Verra expects to complete the review and publish a summary report in late 2023.
For more information about the review process, please contact Joshua Thaisen, Senior Program Officer, Forest Carbon Innovation (jthaisen@verra.org).