Evaluating the carbon sequestration benefits of sustainable forestry projects in developing countries

Although the basic theory of carbon-offset forestry is relatively straightforward, devising a way to evaluate the carbon sequestration potential of particular forestry projects is much more complicated. This report presents a unique methodology for testing and comparing the carbon-offset potentials of a broad range of forestry schemes.

Created and first used by the lead author in l988 to evaluate the carbon sequestration potential of the CARE/Guatemala Agroforestry program, this methodology establishes a protocol for quantitative comparisons of carbon sequestration strategies using a dynamic land-use model. The report explains the model’s application in the evaluation of several carbon offset projects in Mexico, Nepal, Panama, Thailand, and Guatemala. The authors provide important insights and practical guidance for policy-makers, utility executives, project planners, and anyone else interested in the possibility of offsetting carbon dioxide emissions through sustainable forestry and land-use projects.