The International Small Group and Tree Planting Program (TIST) Training Seminar for Projects July, 2005 Part 1: TIST Project Background
The International Small Group & Tree Planting Program 25,000 smallholder farmers Empowered Small Groups –Reforestation, –Conservation Farming, –Health Education (HIV/AIDS) Tanzania (2000), India (2002), Uganda (2003), Kenya (2004)
Living In Desolation
TIST Participants: Choosing Change
Transforming landscape to forest
Small Groups Prepare Nurseries
Trees line paths, shade houses, …
... & allow grass to grow.
TIST Roles: The Small Group Registration Training Decision Making Nurseries Tree Planting Reporting Best Practices Bank Account
The International Small Group and Tree Planting Program (TIST) Training Seminar for Projects July, 2005 Part 2: TIST Monitoring Systems & CDM Methodologies
TIST Monitoring Systems Uses latest technology, methods to best meet needs
Keys to TIST Monitoring Systems Years of hardware, software & methods development –Palm computers, GPS, synchronizations, website development, technologies to minimize training & ramp-up time Thousands of site visits to groves = years of hard work Transparency, Accuracy, Business Integrity –Transparency: simultaneous & public access to data from site visits –Accuracy: data tracked vs. data “reported” for various purposes… Examples of items that change over time: –All groups vs. just active Small Groups –All groves vs. just CDM-only groves –All trees vs. just trees>1.73m –Integrity: hold some tons in reserve/won’t sell even up to the “accurate” # of tons… Relevant to more than just CDM buyers: host country, development agencies, public, non-CDM buyers, etc.
Results at
Project Scenario: Location of Groves
Project Scenario: Trees by Age & Species Cohort Additional Info: –Tree Height > 1.37m? –Diameter allometric –Spacing/GPS Grove size
CDM Project Boundary: Groves Groves, once established by SGs, define TIST project boundary –SGs report that they established a grove –TIST quantifiers visit grove, note tree counts by age & species cohort, GPS coords –Trees existing prior to start are excluded TZ 2000 IN 2002 UG 2003 KE 2004
Baseline Methodology for Groves Project boundary (groves) evolve over time Multiple parts to TIST baseline study: –Area deforestation analysis (one-time) From dialogue during initial participant training Backed up by research from authoritative sources –Grove-specific site visits (initial + over time) Visits within first 12 months to define boundary & note age & species by cohort Repeat site visits: grove may fail to meet CDM or may expand with additional plantings each year
Baseline Scenario Conservatively estimated as 0 –No SG formation, no training (on tree-planting, CF, HIV/AIDS, SG BPs), no tree payment incentives, no SG bank accounts… –No tree nurseries, no holes dug in preparation, no tree transplanting from nurseries to holes –Continued deforestation
Leakage Conservatively estimated at 0: –Travel emissions Between groves by quantifiers & project managers Between US & host countries by project managers by US-based personnel –C sequestration outside groves Fuelwood obtained from TIST plantings More C sequestered outside TIST
The International Small Group and Tree Planting Program (TIST) Training Seminar for Projects July, 2005 Part 3: CDM A/R Working Group Issues Raised
Project Boundary A/R WG Issues Groves, once established by SGs, define TIST project boundary A/R WG: orchards near towns –arguably could be part of baseline scenario per A/R WG (suggest extra additionality screen) A/R WG: add land eligibility screen –how to ensure no trees after 1989?
Baseline Scenario for Groves Conservative TIST Baseline: 0 carbon –no SG formation, no training (on tree-planting, CF, HIV/AIDS, SG BPs), no tree payment incentives, no bank accounts, –no tree nurseries, no tree planting, continued deforestation A/R WG: ignored natural regeneration –Not explicitly addressed –Far outweighed by continued deforestation for fuelwood A/R WG: include gross carbon sequestration in baseline –Cannot include carbon from gross tree plantings in project scenario. –Must account for fuelwood demand & mortality in project scenario to produce net C.
Leakage Leakage conservatively estimated at 0 A/R WG: –Delete benefit of fuelwood from within groves –Add impact of displaced agricultural activities
Other A/R WG Recommendations Stratify groves into climo-edaphic zones Count only trees > 1.37m Re-measure diameters of same trees each visit Specify tree sampling across grove breadth Apply allometric equations to each tree; then sum Calculate 95% confidence intervals for C
TIST Methodology Outcomes Recommendations on changes to TIST methodologies –A/R WG, WB, CAAC, Others TIST system modifications implemented across four countries (to address A/R WG recommendations) Resubmission of improved/modified CDM methodologies for approval