Coastal Blue Carbon Critical Tool for Increasing Coastal Habitat Restoration and Protection

K. Diane HoskinsDirector of Government RelationsRestore America’s Estuaries

Restore America’s Estuaries

Overview•Who is Restore America’s Estuaries?•Why does Restore America’s Estuaries

care about blue carbon?•What are we doing about it?•Where are we going?

Significant habitat losses:

Estuaries are important

Blue Carbon at the nexus of:

Coastal Ecosystem

Restoration

Adaptation Planning

Climate Change

Mitigation

Market & Nonmarket Blue Carbon Tools1. Receive Carbon Finance

2. Improve Land Management

3. Stimulate New Projects

4. Improve Policies

RAE Advancing Market Incentives

Available online at: www.estuaries.org/reports

Tidal Wetland and Seagrass Restoration Methodology• Submitted to Verified Carbon Standard December 2013• Public review and comment: Feb 11 – Mar 12, 2014• Under first external assessment • Draft available at www.v-c-s.org, search “wetland”

Authors• Dr. Igino Emmer, Silvestrum• Dr. Brian Needelman, University of Maryland• Steve Emmett-Mattox, RAE• Dr. Stephen Crooks, ESA• Dr. Pat Megonigal, Smithsonian Env. Research Center• Doug Myers, Chesapeake Bay Foundation• Matthew Oreska, University of Virginia• Dr. Karen McGlathery, University of Virginia

Tidal Wetland and Seagrass Restoration MethodologyRAE Goals• Ecologically appropriate• Scientifically credible• Meet requirements of stringent

GHG standards• Broadly applicable to

restoration• Flexible in its use• Practicable

Methodology Overview• What habitats?

▫Marshes, all salinity ranges▫Mangroves▫Seagrasses▫Forested tidal wetlands

• What activities?▫Restoration via enhancing, creating and/or managing

hydrological conditions, sediment supply, salinity characteristics, water quality and/or native plant communities.

• Where?▫Global

Snohomish Assessment:Climate Benefits of Estuary Restoration

Authors:• Dr. John Rybczyk, WWU• Keeley O’Connell, EarthCorps• Dr. Steve Crooks, ESA• Danielle Devier, ESA• Katrina Poppe, WWU• Steve Emmett-Mattox, RAE

Key Funders: NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation, The Boeing Company, and the Wildlife Forever Fund

Snohomish Estuary• 2nd largest estuary in

Puget Sound

• 29% of wetlands lost in Puget Sound

• 4,749 ha of drained wetlands

• 1,353 ha of planned restoration

Study Approach1. Analyzed historic, current and

possible future conditions, including SLR

2. Measured soil carbon and accretion rates at representative sites

3. Applied carbon values to planned and full restoration scenarios

Climate Benefits, Existing Projects Planned restoration of 1,353 ha would yield 2,553,000

tons CO2 sequestration taking into account future sea level

This is equivalent to the emissions from 500,000 cars driving around for one year (5,000 cars per year for 100 years)

Climate Benefits, Expanded Restoration Full restoration of 4,393 ha would yield 8,980,000 tons

CO2 sequestration taking into account future sea level

Equivalent to the emissions from 1.76 million cars driving around for one-year (17,600 cars per year for 100 years)

Key Results1. Emergent marsh restoration projects in the Snohomish

estuary are highly resilient to sea level rise

2. Restore now – waiting will make it more difficult for emergent vegetation to re-colonize

3. Approach developed for this study is transferrable to other estuaries

What’s next?•Tampa Assessment•Guidance on Project Aggregation•Developing Conservation Methodology•National Work Group•Increased Education and Outreach

▫Workshops for Coastal Land Managers and Restoration Practitioners North Carolina National Workshop

Thank youK. Diane Hoskinsdhoskins@estuaries.org703-524-0248

www.estuaries.org/climate-change

GHG Offset Requirements