NNRG Watershed Innovation Pilot Project

This project aims to provide access and market development for small forest landowners in Western Washington to allow them access top emerging markets for carbon sequestration in addition to their existing access to market for sustainable wood products. Working through all levels of the supply chain, NNRG (with Earth Economics and Pacific Forest Trust) will apply existing research and models by develop protocols for determining carbon sequestration on land certified as sustainable managed by the Forest Stewardship Council and the additionally of this sequestration over traditional management practices. This can be packaged into marketable verifiable carbon credits for sale in voluntary or regulatory markets. NNRG and the Nisqually River Council will work through a variety of outreach methods to recruit landowners into the program and assist them with the development of long term management plans meeting certification requirements. NNRG will develop methods of aggregating the carbon credits and sustainable wood streams produced by participating landowners to allow them to access larger scale markets at premium prices. NNRG will also be working with regional and State decision markets to develop carbon registries of in advance of regulatory requirements and build a regional and then State-wide carbon market, compatible with other developing markets in other States, in which landowners can participate. The ability of landowners to access the emerging market for carbon sequestration services (and other ecosystem services) will contribute to their ability to rema9in financially stable while sustainable managing their forestlands, keeping this land as part of a functioning ecosystem and encouraging practices that lead to greater carbon sequestration and, therefore, improved health of Earth’s atmosphere.