Grant Rosoman, Greenpeace & Co-Chair of HCSA Steering Group 0 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Grant Rosoman, Greenpeace & Co-Chair of HCSA Steering Group

Outline

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❖ The HCS Approach – how it came about ❖ What is the HCS Approach – an overview of the methodology ❖ Progress so far – achievements and challenges ❖ Summary and Next Steps ❖ APP Case study on HCS Approach

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NGO campaigns

• n brands linked

with deforestation

Origins of the HCS Approach

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• Global climate and biodiversity crisis – tropical deforestation for

commodities – public concern & NGO campaigns on brands

• Triggered by Nestle No Deforestation commitment, methodology

developed through a collaboration Golden Agri Resources (GAR), TFT and Greenpeace from 2011

• To practically implement ‘No Deforestation’ commitments
• Also applied science and research – Remotes sensing, field plots,

conservation science for forest patch analysis

• Initially just to identify natural forest but quickly evolved to a

comprehensive but practical land use planning tool that integrates with

• ther tools

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Origins of the HCS Approach

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Key Question: Which areas are natural forest and which are degraded land?

What is the HCS Approach?

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• It is a ‘no deforestation’ land use planning tool – not a carbon

assessment – despite the name!

• Uses vegetation density, structure and composition combined

with above ground carbon estimates to identify forest areas

• Engaging certification initiatives (RSPO, FSC), governments,

smallholder NGOs, manufacturer and retail companies, and investment sector

• The multi-stakeholder HCS Approach Steering Group now

established to provide global governance and standardisation

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HCSA Steering Group Members

HCS Approach Toolkit

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• HCS Approach Toolkit launched in

April 2015

• Designed as a practitioners manual
• n the methodology
• Now in Bahasa Indonesia, and French,

Spanish and Portugese

• Further trials, experience, research

and broader consultation for v2 in 2016

• Science Advisory Committee input

HCSA: Three phases

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Phase 1 Phase 2

Vegetation stratification to identify potential HCS forest areas HCS forest patch analysis and conservation planning

Phase 3

Achieving forest conservation with stakeholders

Phase 1: Remote Sensing to Stratify Vegetation

A combined unsupervised and supervised analysis of

• ptical data using visual

attributes to provisionally stratify vegetation into 6 classes Or, alternatively LiDAR to determine vegetation height

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Phase 1: Field plots to gather species, height and DBH data to determine Above Ground Biomass

• Community engagement and FPIC process

begins to gain consent

• Nested plots measure AGB in trees >5cm DBH
• Carbon estimated using global (Chave etal

2014) or locally appropriate allometric

• Alternative plot designs possible

Vegetation Stratification from remote sensing is calibrated with field plot data to map potential HCS forest areas

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POTENTIAL HCS AREAS MAY BE DEVELOPED

High-Density Forest (HDF/HK3) Remnant forest or advanced secondary forest close to primary condition Medium Density Forest (MDF/HK2) Remnant forest but more disturbed than HK3 Low Density Forest (LDF/HK1) Appears to be remnant forest but highly disturbed and recovering [may contain plantation/ mixed garden] Young Regenerating Forest (YRF) Mostly young re-growth forest, but with

• ccasional patches of
• lder forest within the

stratum Scrub (S)) Recently cleared areas, some woody regrowth and grass-like ground cover Cleared/Open Land (OL) Very recently cleared land with mostly grass or crops, few woody plants

HCS Forest Stratification

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MDF: Medium Density Forest

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YRF: Young Regenerating Forest

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S: Scrub

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Phase 2 - HCS patch analysis and conservation planning

• Objective is identify viable forest patches that can maintain or

revert to their ecological function as a forest.

• Incorporates general conservation principles and science on patch

size, shape, core area, configuration, and connectivity including adjacent to a concession.

• Takes into account social (i.e. community land use, and rights)
• Requires a robust HCV assessment

and participatory processes with the community (FPIC and land use planning)

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Over 30 years of forest patch research….

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Forest patch edge effects and ‘core’

Source: Government of Malaysia, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment 2009. Managing biodiversity in the Landscape. Guidelines for planners, decision makers and practitioners.

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Connectivity, stepping stones and corridors

Source: Government of Malaysia, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment 2009. Managing biodiversity in the Landscape. Guidelines for planners, decision makers and practitioners.

A corridor also provides for movement of interior species

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Stepping stones A cluster of stepping Stones is optimal Fragments with no connectivity

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Decision tree for HCS forest patch analysis

Decision Tree for HCS forest patch analysis

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Phase 1: Vegetation Stratification

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Phase Two: HCS forest patch analysis Decision Tree – a) patch prioritisation

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b) Integration, connectivity, ‘give & take’ boundary adjustment and exchange

Land Use Plan

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Phase 3 - Achieving forest conservation

• After Conservation Plan proposal that includes HCS/HCV forest areas

(Phase 2), the next step is negotiating the forest conservation with local communities and government

• A work in progress with a number of significant challenges, not the least

being community resistance to conservation

• Will need to address community needs and benefits including food

security, and has the same FPIC process as planted areas

• New tools and mechanisms are needed to achieve this collectively with

the support of a range of stakeholders

• Achieving legal recognition for HCS forest areas is critical for the long-

term protection of HCS forest area, such as through regulations and laws (thus government support).

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Progress – achievements and challenges

• Over 60 assessments to date – 10+million ha, 5 countries in Asia

Pacific and Africa - over 500,000 ha prevented from deforestation and in process to conservation

• Virtually all palm companies using and large P&P companies in

Indonesia - expanding with other sectors and regions – e.g. rubber, bananas, sugar, soya – Africa and Latin America

• Not working well yet with smallholders or in high forest cover regions

– working on adapted approaches, including landscape scale

• Integration with HCV – assessments, quality assurance
• So far a voluntary initiative with business and NGOs – need more

government engagement

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Potential Application of the HCS Approach in the World’s Biomes

Deere & Struebig et al. (In Prep.). Do High Carbon Stock areas provide habitat for tropical biodiversity? A case study of Bornean mammals in an oil palm forest mosaic

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Summary and Going Forward

• HCS Approach is a relatively simple land use planning

methodology that is now being broadly applied to implement No Deforestation in the humid tropics (mainly Asia Pacific and Africa so far)

• A multi-stakeholder initiative – open source methodology with
• ngoing science and research input – many questions still to

answer

• Continued development of approach for small farmers, high

forest cover regions, integration with HCV, landscape scale assessments, and forest conservation mechanisms.

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HIGH CARBON STOCK APPROACH CASE STUDY: Asia Pulp & Paper Group

By Aida Greenbury, co-Chair of HCSA Steering Group

HCS STUDY PROCESS

CARBON VALUE PER STRATA

Land Cover Strata Approximate Carbon Mass (ton per ha) HK > 75 BT 35-75 BM 15-35 LT 0-15

Approximate Carbon Mass Range per HCS Land Cover Strata Total Carbon Stock Region Jambi

STRATIFICATION MAP BEFORE PATCH ANALYSIS

PATCH ANALYSIS RESULT

MAP BASED ON PATCH ANALYSIS RESULT

Thank you! Any questions?

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