Measurement guidelines for the sequestration of forest carbon

Abstract

Measurement guidelines for forest carbon sequestration were developed to support reporting by public and private entities to greenhouse gas registries. These guidelines are intended to be a reference for designing a forest carbon inventory and monitoring system by professionals with a knowledge of sampling, statistical estimation, and forest measurements. This report provides guidance on defining boundaries; measuring, monitoring, and estimating changes in carbon stocks; implementing plans to measure and monitor carbon; and developing quality assurance and quality control plans to ensure credible and reproducible estimates of the carbon credits. Expected users include entities, e.g., individual landowners, industrial forestry companies and managers of utility company lands, within the United States who are interested in implementing forestry activities and projects designed to generate carbon credits that could be traded as an offset, or for registering carbon dioxide reductions using the U.S. Department of Energy 1605(b) voluntary reporting registry.

Citation

Pearson, Timothy R.H.; Brown, Sandra L.; Birdsey, Richard A. 2007. Measurement guidelines for the sequestration of forest carbon. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-18. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 42 p.