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 Conservation Carbon: The Sierra Madre, Philippines Region The Sierra Madre Biological Corridor, stretching along the mountainous eastern portion of the Philippine island of Luzon, is one of the most unusual and biologically rich regions in the world. The 1.4 million hectare corridor accounts for more than 40 percent of the country's remaining old-growth forests and is home to over 400 species of wildlife, 153 of which are found nowhere else on Earth. Approximately half of these species, including the Philippine eagle, Philippine crocodile and flying fox, are threatened. Challenge Agricultural expansion, logging, mining and uncertain land tenure are the primary threats to the Corridor's old-growth forests. Farmers are clear-cutting the forest to create permanent agricultural plantations, while local people are using wood from the forest to meet both their basic needs and generate income. Exacerbating the situation is the facts that, without clear ownership of property, settlers in this region have little incentive for long-term sustainable agriculture and forestry practices. Response In 2003, Conservation International (CI) teamed with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF, an agroforestry research NGO), to design a multiple benefit Conservation Carbon Project that will not only restore degraded lands within the Sierra Madre but also provide benefits for biodiversity and local communities. To combat the primary threat to the region, agricultural expansion and small scale logging, the strategic ap¬proach of the project is to use a community-based forest management program to shift demand from old-growth forests in the region, and to ensure protection of the newly declared protected area, the Sierra Madre Quirino Protected Landscape. The Initiative will generate carbon offsets through a multiple component approach integrating both land use and energy activities including biomass, restoration, agroforestry, and protection activities. Specific activities include: This project demonstrates that when properly implemented, carbon offsets projects offer a cost effective, low risk strategy with can generate multiple benefits such as biodiversity conservation, water and soil conservation, and income-generation. It is also demonstrating that tradeoffs such as soil erosion, water table decrease, and de¬struction of livelihoods can be avoided. The forest protection and reforestation aspects of this project are being designed using the standards set forth by the Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Alliance. To earn approval under the CCB Standards, projects must satisfy 15 required criteria to demonstrate compelling net benefits for fighting climate change, conserving biodiversity, and improving socio-economic conditions for local communities. In addition, the project has been submitted for approval to the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol. Approval under CDM guidelines is an important step allowing carbon offsets generated to be classified as Certified Emissions Reductions (CERs). Purchasing CERs helps industrialized countries meet their greenhouse gas reduction commitments, while also providing sustainable funding to emission reduction projects in developing countries. Value for Biodiversity Healthy, intact forests store carbon taken from the atmosphere and thus play a unique role in mitigating the harmful effects of climate change. Global deforestation accounts for nearly 25 percent of the annual emission of greenhouse gases. Wide-scale deforestation is fueling climate change and biodiversity loss, and is expected to greatly accelerate species extinctions. Land-used based carbon offset projects that support both forest protection and reforestation are designed to implement actions that simultaneously address global warming and species extinctions.This project will help connect the fragmented forests of the region. The survival of many species, such as the Philippine eagle, which requires large stretches for forest to forage and nest, depends on this connectivity. Value for the Community For the local community, the project will provide employment and transform land that has been degraded for more than a decade. Similarly, the tree plantation will supply local wood needs in the province and promote the idea of sustainability in land-use practices, thereby satisfying the needs of the community and promoting long-term protection of the forest. Value for Business Investment in conservation carbon provides a value to corporations, in addition to the value created for the environment and local communities. Land use based carbon offsets projects not only restore degraded lands and protect forests that would otherwise be destroyed, but also offset carbon dioxide emissions from industrial activities, thereby reducing the impacts of climate change. Conservation Carbon projects generate cost effective carbon offsets which meet regulations set forth under the Kyoto Protocol and the emerging voluntary offset market while diversifying portfolio risk for participating investors. Additionally, companies are able to communicate positive action to address climate change with concerned consumers, shareholders, and employees holders, through clear, tangible examples. Progress Initial Funding Secured. The Global Environment Centre Foundation (GEC), a Japanese Environmental Agency provided initial funding for CI’s Conservation Carbon strategy in the region. This contribution supported the development of a Project Design Document for approval by the CDM Executive Board. If approved and validated, the project will likely generate almost 2 million Certified Emissions Reduction (CERs) from reforestation and biomass activities, and up to 1 million Voluntary Emissions Reductions (VERs) from avoided deforestation of old growth and secondary forests. 
|  Butterfly. Sierra-Madre, Philippines.  The Philippines Hotspot. PROJECT SUMMARY • Restore and protect more than 12,500 hectares of forest in the Sierra Madre Quirino Proected Landscape • Seeking approval under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to generate Certified Emissions Reduction (CER) credits for investors • Offset 126 thousand tons of carbon dioxide over 25 years • Preserve habitat for threatened species, such as the flying fox and Philippine eagle • Support local economic activities that rely on healthy forests ADDITIONAL RESOURCES • Calculate & Offset Your Carbon Footprint Using CI’s Carbon Calculator. PUBLICATIONS • Conservation Carbon Projects Overview Fact Sheet (pdf, 383kb) WEBSITES • In Depth: the Sierra Madre, Philippines Hotspot |
