1 August 2011

Forests owners with 100 hectares or more of forest land registered in the ETS or the PFSI will be required to use the Field Measurement Approach (FMA) to determine the change in carbon stocks in their forests from 1 September, says MAF in issue 28 of the Sustainable Forestry Bulletin.

The new approach applies to the mandatory emissions return for the 2008-2012 commitment period.

"If you have 100 hectares or more and are thinking about registering in the ETS or PFSI, be sure you get your application in quickly. It will take time to prepare and process the application, and for you to complete the additional requirements
of the FMA in time for the mandatory emission return," MAF says.

"If you are looking at adding or removing land, MAF recommends that you do this before you request your FMA sample plots."

MAF and the NZ Institute of Forestry will be running workshops on the new Field Measurement Approach in Wellington (8 September), Auckland (14 September), Rotorua (19 September), Christchurch (21 September) and Balclutha (27 September).

A basic knowledge of forest inventory is not essential, but will be helpful. Topics include:

• Overview, timelines and FMA participant's responsibilities
• Sampling design choices
• Locating and establishing plots
• Information to be collected at plots
• Plot waivers
• PFSI and the FMA
• Submitting data and calculation of participant-specific tables
• What happens when adding and removing land
• Compliance and auditing.

Meeting venues and registration details will be available from MAF shortly.

Other ETS deadlines

For forest owners with land that was planted in forest pre-1990 the deadlines are:

• Applications for the less than 50 hectares exemption close on 30 September.
• Applications for an allocation of New Zealand Units close on 30 November.

For more information click here.

Source: MAF Sustainable Forestry Bulletin #28