California Institute for Energy and Environment (CIEE)

The Bascom Pacific Conservation Forestry Project was initiated as part of the West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnersthip (WESTCARB) in order to demonstrate how the baseline and project activities associated with the conservation-based management of a commercially productive forestland site in northern California would be interpreted and projected if a carbon dioxide emissions reductions project were undertaken in accordance with version 2.1 of the Forest Project Protocol of the California Climate Action Registry (now the Climate Action Reserve). After measuring the initial forest carbon stocks on the Bascom Pacific Forest, project activities based on the forest management guidelines outlined in the conservation easement on the property were identified that would create emissions reductions on the project site relative to a baseline scenario based on harvesting the greatest amount of timber feasible and practicable under applicable forest laws. The costs and benefits of undertaking a forest management project for the purpose of registering forest carbon stock changes with the Climate Action Reserve were evaluated, including an assessment of ways the Forest Project Protocol may be improved to increase its practicality and effectiveness. Since the Forest Project Protocol was updated from version 2.1 to version 3.1 near the completion of this study, a number of changes made in the updated version were referenced throughout the report, including a brief discussion of how these changes may affect the subject project.