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United States

8,035 ha

Kootznoowoo

Improved Forest Management

Preserve hemlock-spruce forest along a heavily forested section of Alaska's coastline

Overview

Kootznoowoo

United States

8,035 ha

Improved Forest Management

The Kootznoowoo Improved Forest Management Project preserves old-growth and young growth hemlock-spruce forest along a heavily forested section of Alaska's coastline. Owned by Kootznoowoo Incorporated, a Native American timber company, the project area would otherwise be vulnerable to harvesting. As compared to the surrounding area, the Kootznoowoo area stores significantly more carbon and exhibits a high conservation value.

Registry

Registry ID: 499

Methodology

Improved Forest Management Methodology for Quantifying GHG Removals and Emission Reductions through Increased Forest Carbon Sequestration on Non-Federal Forestlands, Version 1.3

By committing to keep the forest CO2 stocks above the regional baseline level, the Kootznoowoo Project provides significant climate benefits through carbon sequestration. It reduces emissions by protecting old growth and encouraging new growth.

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Additional

Does the project have a net additional climate benefit?

Net additional climate benefit
Emissions reductions are calculated based on the difference between baseline, project, and leakage emissions. Pachama analyzes emissions claims to confirm that the project has a net additional climate benefit, and each credit represents at least one metric ton of carbon.

Conservative

Is the climate benefit based on sound and conservative claims?

Baseline claims
Pachama analyzes baseline emissions accounting to confirm that the reported baseline emissions are less than what Pachama observes with remote sensing.
Project claims
Pachama assesses the project boundary, project emissions accounting, carbon inventory, and financial and legal additionality.
Leakage claims
Pachama summarizes the project's reported leakage emissions accounting.

Durable

Is the climate benefit long-lasting?

Ongoing monitoring
Pachama quantifies emissions since the last verification to ensure the project continues to deliver a climate benefit.
Project risks
Pachama characterizes fire and other natural risks and summarizes buffer pool contributions.

Beyond Carbon

Does the project deliver benefits beyond carbon?

Social impacts
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Ecological impacts
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Certifications
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Impacts beyond carbon

Owned and operated by the Kootznoowoo people

Owned and operated by the Kootznoowoo people, the Kootznoowoo Project offers significant community and wildlife co-benefits. The surrounding region was previously heavily harvested for exports to overseas markets, but this project creates long term protection and management by native communities who have lived there for hundreds of years.

Clean water and sanitation

The Kootznoowoo project region extends along miles of coastline and contains many freshwater systems. Protecting the forest around these water systems allows the trees to serve as a natural filter, purifying the water for the community that depends on it.

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Climate action

By committing to keep the forest CO2 stocks above the regional baseline level, the project provides significant climate benefits through carbon sequestration. It reduces emissions by protecting old growth and encouraging new growth.

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Life below water

Through sustainable management of the project area, the many marine and coastal ecosystems within it are protected against significant adverse impacts, are more resilient, and contribute to healthy and productive oceans. In addition, the project area is preserved for the benefit of the native people who have occupied it for over 1,000 years.

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Life on land

The area hosts a varied set of ecosystems that create diverse vegetation and natural communities. The predominant old growth forest type is western hemlock-Sitka spruce. Mountain hemlock, spruce, and yellow cedar occur in higher elevations. The region also boasts red elderberry, salmonberry, thimbleberry, blueberry, and huckleberry.

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biodiversity

Old-growth forest provides essential habitat to wide flora and fauna diversity

The project area is used for community recreation and sustenance hunting. The project's substantial old-growth forest – 43% of the project area – provides essential habitat to Sitka black-tailed deer, black bears, mountain goats, moose, beavers, weasels, land otters, red foxes, and several species of salmon. The protected forest also has wide flora diversity, boasting a number of berry species like red elderberry, salmonberry, thimbleberry, blueberry, and huckleberry.

Public registry documentsApplicable calculation methods are referenced in the reports below. Note that registries do not publicly provide all pertinent data required to reproduce emissions calculations. However, Independent Validation and Verification Bodies have access to the data needed to reproduce and verify emissions calculations.

Project description document

pdf

Verification report 2018-2019

pdf

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