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Plan Vivo Project Design Document (PDD)
Name of the project: Much Kanan K´aax
15/08/2011
Servicios Ecosistémicos de la Selva Maya S.C.
Av. Benito Juárez Num 640 Felipe Carrillo Puerto Quintana Roo, México
0052 983 8340176 – [email protected]
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Contents Title of project ........................................................................................................... 4 Executive Summary .................................................................................................. 4 Section A. Aims and objectives ................................................................................. 6 Section B. Site information ........................................................................................ 7
1. Project location and boundaries.................................................................... 7 2. Description of the project area ..................................................................... 8
Section C: Community and livelihood information .................................................. 11 1. Target communities/groups ........................................................................ 11 2. Socio-economic context ............................................................................. 12 3. Ownership of carbon benefits (land-tenure)................................................ 13
Section D: Project governance and community participation ................................... 16 1. Project organizational structure .................................................................. 16 2. Relationship with national organizations .................................................... 17 3. Community-led design and livelihood benefits ........................................... 17 4. Technology transfer and training ................................................................ 19 5. Project financial structure .......................................................................... 20
Section E: Project activities and impacts .................................................................. 22 1. Description of the Plan Vivo technical specifications (methodologies) ....... 22 2. Duration of project activities and crediting period ...................................... 23 3. Carbon benefits of the projects activities .................................................... 23 6. Measures to address risks and ensure permanency ..................................... 29 7. Measures to address leakage ...................................................................... 30
SECTION F. Additionality of project and project activities .................................... 31 SECTION G: Monitoring and technical support plan ............................................... 33
1. Monitoring of carbon indicators ................................................................. 33 3. Monitoring livelihood and socio-economic impacts ................................... 34 4. Technical support and review: ................................................................... 35
SECTION H. Compliance with the law ................................................................... 36 SECTION I. Certification or evaluation to other standards....................................... 36 Annexes .................................................................................................................. 36
Annex 1: List of responsible staff and contact information .................................. 37 Annex 2: Information regarding public and other sources of co-funding ............. 37 Annex 3: Technical specifications....................................................................... 38 Annex 4: Producer/group agreement template ..................................................... 38 Annex 5: Monitoring plan ................................................................................... 38 Annex 6: Database template................................................................................ 38 Annex 7. Example of forest management plans .................................................... 39 Annex 8. Permits and legal documentation .......................................................... 40
Related Documents.................................................................................................. 45 Annual Reports .................................................................................................... 45 Verification Reports ............................................................................................ 45 Corrective Action Reports ................................................................................... 45
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GLOSARY CCA: Community Conservation Area CONAFOR: Comision National Forestal ( National Forestry Commission, which is in charge of the forestry policy) CONANP: Comisión Nacional de Areas Naturales Protegidas (National Natural Protected Areas Commission) Ejidos: Community owned territories under Mexican regulation Ejidatarios: Menmbers of the ejidos FSC: Forestry Stewardship Council Milpa: Traditional slash and burn maize crop RAN: Registro Agrario Nacional (national authority on land property) SEMARNAT: Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales – The Secretary of Natural Resources and the Environment SESM S.C.: Servicios Ecosistemico de la Selva Maya S.C. UNDP: United Nation Development Program
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Title of project
Much Kanan K´aax – Together taking care of the jungle (Translation from
Mayan to English).
Executive Summary The Much Kanan K´áax carbon project is located in the southeast of the
Yucatan Peninsula, in the area commonly referred to as the “Mayan Jungle”.
The target group are “ejidos”, common-owned territories mainly comprised of
the rainforest. The main objective of the proposed project is to promote and
protect the recovery process of the Yucatan Peninsula´s culturally and
ecologically important rainforest. Forest Carbon Project is seen as a new
opportunity to involve local communities in the fight against climate change,
which is already affecting agriculture and forestry. It is also a way to generate
additional and long term income, to be used for improved forest management
that brings benefits to the local Mayan communities.
Two main strategies are considered:
1. Forest recovery, through reforestation and agroforestry and;
2. Avoided deforestation, by improving existing strategies of forest
management and protection such as Community Conservation
Areas
The semi- evergreen rainforest has a significant potential of carbon uptake. It
contains an average of 86 tC/ha solely in the above-ground biomass. The
recovery of degraded rainforest and the conservation of existing ones also
mean more habitat for the animals and higher biodiversity, as well as
additional resources for the traditional “multiple use” strategy of the local
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communities. There is already a strong forestry culture and economy in the
area and carbon finance can complement such activities.
The project is lead by U´yool´ché A.C., a local NGO dedicated to sustainable
development in cooperation with a pilot community, called “ejido Felipe
Carrillo Puerto”. The present PDD presents a new stage of the project, after
five years of development. The certification of the project would allow
replication of the activities in the whole area of the Sian Ka´an – Calakmul
Corridor, which would also maximize carbon offset and positive socio-
economic impacts.
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Section A. Aims and objectives The main objective of the proposed project is to promote the recovery process
and protect the Yucatan Peninsula´s culturally and ecologically significant
Mayan Jungle. The pilot project will be implemented in ejido “Felipe Carrillo
Puerto”. In this particular area, the project aims to develop a methodology that
can be transferred to other communities interested in carbon finance.
Carbon finance is seen as a way of generating additional income for
community members (ejidatarios) who live on forest land, in order to carry out
activities of restoration and protection.
The main actors in the pilot project will be the community (ejido) and individual
actors (ejidatarios), which practice traditional and sustainable uses of forest
resources, conservation and restoration activities. The commercialization of
carbon credits will place an economic value on traditional land use and
restoration activities. Furthermore, it will increase the incentives for the local
stakeholders to engage in the sustainable use and conservation of forest
resources.
A second aim is the dissemination of the new methodology developed to the
nearby communities located in the Sian Ka’an – Calakmul Biological Corridor,
as this is the richest zone in terms of forest resources, biodiversity and
regeneration potential at the Yucatan Peninsula. Results generated by pilot
project replications and diffusion activities will be used to develop a
management framework, incorporating management strategies to lower the
level of forest degradation.
A third objective is the development of a REDD+ activities into the zone of
Sian Ka´an – Calakmul Corridor. This area still has significant carbon stocks,
and part of it is vulnerable. REDD+ activities would provide further financial
support and incentives to conserve critical ecosystem services, biodiversity
and local livelihoods.
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Section B. Site information
1. Project location and boundaries In its initial phase, the project hisn located within the limits of the “Ejido Felipe
Carrillo Puerto” (map 1). The Ejido system is based on the idea that the
government promotes the use of communal land shared by the members of
the community. It is type of land tenure where the ejidatarios collectively own
the right to use the land for different activities. This ejido Felipe Carrillo Puerto
contains 47,000 hectares and it is located in the centre of the Municipality of
Felipe Carrillo Puerto, in the state of Quintana Roo, Yucatan Peninsula,
Mexico. It is placed 150 km south of the state capital, Chetumal. Additionally,
it is positioned in the northern part of the MesoAmerican Rainforest, an area
commonly referred to as the “Mayan jungle”. It is very close to the Biosphere
Reserve of Sian Ka´an, a UNESCO world heritage site.
Map 1: Project boundaries (pilot phase)
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2. Description of the project area The climate of the project area is tropical, also known as tropical wet climate
(Köppen climate classification), with one rainy season during the summer
and another shorter one during February and March. The average
temperature is between 23 and 28 °C and the annual average rainfall is 1,200
mm (Graph 1).
Graph 1. Rainfall and temperature (sources: CNA and Weather Underground)
The Yucatan Peninsula is a calciferous plate of marine origin that emerged
due to a series of epeirogenic movements. The ground is very rocky, with only
fine layer of soil (22 cm) low to is located within a sub-region characterized by
plain areas with small hills, with an altitude between two and three meters.
Within this area there are also flooded lowlands that can be very extensive
and can form deep lagoons and small rivers.
The soil, precipitation, geology and hydrology of the landscape in Felipe
Carrillo Puerto and the Mayan Zone of Quintana Roo is a mosaic in which the
higher altitude areas are covered by deciduous forests and the lower areas by
humid forests, with certain areas getting flooded during the year.
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The vegetation types found in Felipe Carrillo Puerto include: semi-evergreen
deciduous and seasonal forests, lowland forest, savannah, swampy cork
forest, and “acahuales” or areas of secondary vegetation (map 1).
Map 1: Vegetation of the ejido
The fauna species that are found within this area are: Puma (Felis concolor),
ocelot (F. parladis), Jagouaroundi (F. yagouaroundi), tapir (Tapirus bardii),
howler monkey (Alouatta pigra), white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus),
brocket deer (Mazama americana), white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari),
wild boar (Pecari tacaju), Spotted Paca Agouti (Agouti paca), Central
American Agouti (Dasyprocta punctata), Greyheaded Tayra (Eira barbara),
Collared Anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla) and honey bear (Potos flavus).
It was estimated that in the zone where the ejido of Felipe Carrillo Puerto is
located in contains 320 species of birds (residents and migratory), 70 of which
are aquatic species. The most important species are: King Vulture
(Sarcoraphus papa), Ornate Hawk-Eagle Eagle (Spizaetus ornatus),
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Rainbow-billed Toucan (Ramphastus sulphuratus), Yucatan Parrot (Amazona
xantholora), Yucatan Jay (Cyanocorax yucatanicus), among others.
Reptiles and amphibians found in the area include: terrestrial and sweet water
turtles (Rhynoclemis sp), Mexican Crocodile (Crocodylus moreleti) abd
different classes of lizards and snakes, such as nauyaca snake - fer-de-lance
(Bothrops asper).
There are twenty one endangered species in the project area: eighteen are
endemic species, one is vulnerable under UICN classification, one under
serious threat under national regulation (NOM-059), and one is on threat in
the categorie II of CITES.
The project area permits a “functional connectivity”1, between the Protected
Natural Area, the UNESCO World Heritage site called Sian Ka´an, the
protected flora and fauna area called Balam Ka´ax, all thanks to Felipe
Carrillo Puerto’s Permanent Forest Area (PFA) of 25,000 hectares, the 10,000
hectares of wetlands that are located side by side with the Protected Natural
Area of Sian Ka´an and the much Kanan K´áax community conservation area.
Land Use
In 2006, with the territorial management plan, the ejido organized its territory
by defining four main areas:
1. The Permanent Forest Area is the largest of the four main areas and it
covers 25,000 hectares. In this area the ejido is harvesting timber
according to a 25 year forest management plan. The principal species
harvested are: mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), Mexican cedar
(Cedrela odorata) and chicozapote also known as the rubber gum tree
(Manilkara zapota). In this area no activity linked to the project is
currently being planned.
1 The functional connectivity refers to the connection provided by forest island between two protected areas.
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2. The second biggest area covers 8,000 hectares and it is dedicated to
agriculture. Traditional slash and burn farming (milpa) still dominates
this area, while there are only six ranches with livestock. The average
size of milpa (farming system predominantly consisting of corn, beans,
and squash) is two hectares. The production is used mainly for
subsistence, and any surplus in crops is sold. In this area, the project is
considering implementing activities of agroforestry.
3. The third area consists of two community conservation areas decreed
by the ejido. The bigger conservation area covers 10,000 hectares and
it is located at the far east of the ejido in a zone with mangroves, next
to Sian Ka´an Biosphere Reserve. The smaller conservation area is
located in the southwest of the ejido and includes an area of 1,230
hectares. This last area was created especially for the purpose of
development of carbon offset activities.
Due to the pre-existing organization of the ejido, as explained, the project is
not expected to affect the food production, nor the forestry activity.
Section C: Community and livelihood information
1. Target communities/groups At this stage of the project there are two targets groups that are considered:
1. The ejido: The pilot ejido Felipe Carrillo Puerto was created by
presidential decree in 1947. It covers the area of more than 48,000
hectares and has 240 ejidatarios. Most of the land is administrated
collectively.
2. The ejidatarios (ejido members): Within the ejido, each ejidatario has
the right to cultivate a small area and work their “milpa” to produce
crops, such as corn, in traditional way, or to establish little ranches with
livestock.
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2. Socio-economic context
Brief community profile:
• The inhabitants of the project area are predominantly indigenous
Yucatec Mayans (Inegi 2010)
• There is a good infrastructure system in the area, provided mainly by
the government, including roads, electricity and water supply.
• The houses are traditionally constructed with materials from the region
including wooden walls and palm roofs. In recent years there are more
houses made with concrete due to the high risk of hurricane damage.
• The house gardens are rich in domestic animals and fruit trees
Main sources of income:
• Temporary jobs include participation in ejido forestry activities and
different construction activities.
• The production of foods in the milpa agricultural system is still an
important activity. This activity does not generate economic income but
ejidatarios receive government subsidies for working their land.
Organizational arrangement of the ejidos:
• The ejido assembly represents the highest authority to all ejido
members. Every three years ejidatarios elect a directive team
consisting of: president, secretary, treasurer and a person in charge of
controlling the directive team, all of whom are in charge of the day-to-
day management and provide their reports to the assembly at
previously set dates.
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Current/future land use of the ejido:
• The project area has different uses. There is one part of the ejido
where there are disturbed, abandoned forests due to local
demographics and the fact that the population of the ejido is getting
older.
• Other parts of the ejido are used for “agropecuaria” (a management
system that includes agriculture and livestock), with milpa as the most
dominant agricultural system used. Due to climate, legal and economic
factors this activity is in decline. However the project allows the fallows
to be used once again, returning its value and generating an alternative
income that permits its maintenance and monitoring. Additionally, it
generates a new opportunity that competes with government subsidies,
mostly focused on small-scale agriculture.
3. Ownership of carbon benefits (land-tenure) The inhabitants of the involved community possess “agrarian rights” that
certify them as ejido members. The ejidos were created through presidential
decree that includes all of the necessary documentation to demonstrate their
land tenure.
There are three types of land tenure under the ejido rules:
1. First type is collective ownership, otherwise known as an area of
common use where the ejido members work together for the production
or conservation of the natural resources, such as areas of community
reserves or permanent forest areas.
2. Second type of land tenure is through the work of parcels. Within the
ejido’s agriculture and livestock area the ejido members can work their
milpa and establish small livestock ranches. The acknowledgement of
these areas is through cultural customs and the amount of land varies.
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The areas still remains community owned and individuals do not have
the rights to sell it.
3. Third type of tenure is private property, where ejido members possess
titles for their land. In the majority of cases the parcels are of a small
size, and are located close to urban centres or roads.
The form of collective tenure and parcel tenure offers a judicial security that is
important for the possession of the rights associated with the sale of carbon
credits as an environmental service. For the collective areas the authorization
for the project by the ejido assembly is sufficient to make clear the ownership
of the carbon benefits.
In the case of the ejido members who work in agriculture and livestock areas it
is necessary to implement an acknowledgment system specifically on behalf
of the ejido authority and the rights of land use. The individual plan vivo will be
included in the assembly for the validation and authorization of the use of
such areas.
The procedures for entrance are the following:
• For the ejido, a copy of the basic document that accredits the land
tenure and permit of the ejido assembly for the implementation of
the project and;
• For those with registered property titles, a copy of the property title
and a letter showing interest to participate in the carbon project.
• For ejido members, a copy of the Assembly Act where the permit is
given in regard to begin conservation and reforestation actions
within the assigned area, and a letter from the producer showing
their interest in participating in the carbon offset project.
In all of the cases it is necessary to annex geo-reference maps of the terrains
that are applying to enter the project.
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Any disputes in regard of the land tenure rights and selling ecosystem
services can be resolved in the following manner:
• Private Land tenure conflict: The conflict resolving authority in this case
is the Agricultural Reform Secretary.
• Ejido member land tenure conflicts. The ejido assembly is the
organization that authorizes the land used for ecosystem services sale.
The same assembly is therefore in charge of arbitrating any possible
conflicts connected with inheritance, tenure or limitations derived from
the project.
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Section D: Project governance and community participation
1. Project organizational structure
The honorific counselors committee will be formed by minimum o 3 experts who are not direct stakeholders of the project. They will audit once a year the finances and the strategy of the project, and give advices if necessary.
Table D1: Project stakeholders Key Function
Organization/ group(s) involved
Type of group/ organization and legal status
Brief description of activities
Project Administration
Servicios Ecosistémicos de la Selva Maya S.C.
Cooperative Society
Payments Sales of carbon credits Promotion of the project
Project Technical Operations
U´ yool´ché A.C.
NGO, with “civil association” legal status
Technical Advisor (scientific, administrative, economic and social)
Community Engagement/ Participation
Ejido de Felipe Carrillo Puerto: Pilot Project
Ejidos (legal status “ejido”)
Development of processes Field test of the processes Promotion of the results to others communities Design their own plan vivo and respect the
Servicios ecosistemicos de las Selva Maya S.C.
Project Coordinator, Payments, Sales, Promotion
of the project
U´yool´ché A.C.
Tecnical Advisor (cientific, socio economic, administrative)
Ejidos and ejidatarios
Executors of the project
PRomotion of the project
Honorific Counselors
Auditing
Strategy advisor
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Ejidatarios engagements Reforestation (planting trees) Monitoring Firebreaks
2. Relationship with national organizations The project does not need government approval to operate. The article five of
chapter V of the national law of sustainable forestry development (in Spanish;
Ley National de Desarrollo Forestal Sustentable) states that it is not
necessary to ask for any permission if the aim is the reforestation in
conservation purposes. Moreover, the state forest law of Quintana Roo
declares that restoration activities have to exclusively use native species. As
the goal of the project is the conservation and restoration of the Mayan
rainforest with local species, there is no need for government approval (both
laws are annexed to the project).
Since the project’s beginning, Uyoolche A.C. has had a close relationship with
the national environmental authority, SEMARNAT. Two agencies of this
secretary are working on this theme: CONAFOR (National Forestry
Commission), which is in charge of the forestry policy and CONANP (National
Natural Protected Areas Commission), which manages protected natural
areas and certifies privately- owned natural reserves. Both organizations have
economically supported the project since its beginning and are being informed
about all the stages of the project. Moreover, the Much Kanan K´áax project
has been recognised by CONAFOR as a pilot project that is used to generate
experience for the development of the national REDD+ strategy.
3. Community-led design and livelihood benefits The target groups are recruited in two different ways:
1. Direct promotion with local authorities such as Comisiariado Ejidales
(Ejido Committee members) or delegates (delegados).
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2. Community-to-community dialogue: In the last two years, the ejido
Felipe Carrillo Puerto has been visited by the other communities
interested in carbon offset. They visit the training centre of this ejido
and are being introduced to basic concepts of carbon offsetting, such
as biomass surveys, reforestation techniques, and contingency
management. The educational materials, such as manuals, posters,
and T-shirts have been produced, and a project website designed to
help spread information. The technical advisor, U´yool´che A.C., will
continue providing training to the communities interested in the project.
Initial/future community development: The project started when the pilot community, the ejido of Felipe Carrillo
Puerto, started to show interest in forest carbon projects. With the first grant,
the ejido and its technical advisor U´yool´ché A.C., started a project and the
process of technology transfer in order to learn more about the issue. Since
the beginning and through the different stages of the project development, the
community has always worked closely with U´yool´ché A.C. In order to
preserve this collaboration, we created a number of documents of diffusion
(leaflets, posters, and a book under development) and all the important
decisions were made throughout participative workshops.
We also developed a methodology in order to improve local knowledge, which
consists of combining technical and scientific information with local and
traditional knowledge. For instance, instead of teaching people how to reforest
the rainforest, we organized a discussion between a university specialist and
ejidatarios with experience on this particular theme. At the workshop, both
groups generated a discussion, and the result is a mixed balanced of both
group’s knowledge. The project will continue using the same strategy for the
future stages of the project.
As mentioned before, the ejidatarios are dedicating their time to several
activities over the year to make an income. Work in milpas or in solares
(house garden) permits people to produce food as well as provide them with
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economic revenue (temporary jobs). One of the aims of the carbon project is
to create a new way of generating incomes, complementary to existing ones.
4. Technology transfer and training Since the beginning of the project, great effort has been made in order to
transfer technologies linked to carbon offset and good practices of forest
management. The first step of the project consisted of transferring
methodologies of carbon measuring from the centre of the Quintana Roo
State to the particular ecosystem in the project area. All the current
methodologies have been developed considering existing technologies and
trying to adapt them to local knowledge and capacities.
As mentioned before, special attention is paid to the respect of the pre-
existing and traditional knowledge. The aim is building the new knowledge
system, which would include both types of knowledge, rather than enforcing
one upon the other. Moreover, manuals and posters are published on a
regular basis in order to generate a knowledge base that is ready to be
transferred to the other communities, when they eventually get interested in
joining the carbon offset project.
At an organizational and financial level, further efforts have to be made in
order to re-enforce:
• Monitoring procedures, especially of social and environmental
indicators. The project plan will define indicators that communities can
use to make the project assessments. A huge effort has to be made in
order to choose clear indicators, which are easy to measure and can
be used by community technicians. At the beginning of the project
monitoring will be done by both the technical partner and the
community, with a plan that by the year 2012, the communities
becomes able to do it on their own.
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• The organizational structure that will be created to manage the project
will need strong consolidation in order to act as the core structure of the
project. In addition, as this organizational structure will be totally
dedicated to the carbon project, training on management,
communication and commercial issues is necessary (see graph 2)
• Since the initial phases of the project, the “community experts” have
been the key actors. They are people from the ejidos who have
received a series of trainings and still continue to participate actively in
the project. They are also in charge of sharing the generated
knowledge with the rest of the community members, as well as with the
other communities and stakeholders. Special attention will be paid to
reinforcing their skills and formation of new community experts.
Graph 2: Management structure
5. Project financial structure Since the beginning, the project received funding from both public and private
donors. Although the development stage required and will still need additional
investment in regards to technical assistance, a large amount of the funds
have been invested in capacity building for producers.
The share of the carbon credits revenue, during the project implementation
period, is planned to be divided as follows:
• 60 per cent will go directly to the local community;
Finance management
SESM S.C.
Tecnical Management
SESM S.C.
Producers
Commercialization process
SESM S.C.
Monitoring Process
U´yool´ché A.C.
Producers
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• 33 per cent will be used to maintain the organizational structure helping
manage the project, and to technical assistance;
• 5 per cent will be used as a saving fund in order to invest in other
complementary community projects in the area (this portion will also be
used as insurance in case of the risks linked to the project ) and;
• The final 2 per cent will be used to cover additional fees, such as the
$0.35 that has to be paid to Plan Vivo Foundation for each ton of CO2
sold.
Every five years, the project will review the financial structure in consultation
with the Plan Vivo Foundation and the stakeholders. The level of incomes
generated by the Plan Vivo Project will also be considered as an economic
indicator for the monitoring phase.
Graph 3: Breakdown of funds
Section E: Project activities and impacts
1. Description of the Plan Vivo technical specifications (methodologies) Table E.1 Title Type of activity Objectives Brief description Target areas / groups
Fallow enrichment Restoration Improve habitat condition, eco-tourism, honey production
Ecosystem: Semi evergreen rainforest Use of native species only
Ejido
Avoided deforestation
Avoided deforestation
Conserve existing rainforest
Forest preservation through community reserve Ejido
2. Duration of project activities and crediting period
Project establishment: 2006
Project development: 2006 – 2011
Scaling Up: 5 years: 2012 - 2017
Crediting period: 10 - 25 years depending on Technical Specification
3. Carbon benefits of the projects activities
Table E.2 Summary of baseline and carbon project uptake or emissions reductions per hectare over crediting period
Title of technical spec.
1. Baseline carbon uptake/ emissions (t CO2e / ha)
2. Carbon uptake/ emissions reductions with project (t CO2e / ha)
3. Expected losses from leakage (t CO2e / ha)
4. Deduction of risk buffer (t CO2e / ha)
5. Net carbon benefit (t CO2e / ha) = 2 – (1+3 +4)
Fallow Enrichment 6.85 166.83 (25 years)
0
33.37
126.61
Title of technical spec. Vulnerable CO2e per ha (ton CO2e /ha)
Deduction of risk buffer (t CO2e / ha)
5. Net carbon benefit (t CO2e / ha)
Avoided deforestation 337.83 67.56
270.26
For The avoided deforestation technical specification the net carbon benefit was estimated using the analysis of Castillo et al.2007, which established that without the CCA Project, there is a risk of deforestation of 132.5 hectares (35,848 CO2e).
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4. Livelihood and other socio-economic impacts We foresee that at the outset of the Plan Vivo Project in the Yucatan
Peninsula a number of positive changes at a socio-economic level within the
Mayan communities will occur. Given that it is a pilot project, it is difficult to
assess the exact impact of the project, however, we forecast that the following
consequences might result.
The first impact we expect is job creation and income diversification. Small-
scale farmers are used to having different livelihood activities, depending on
the agricultural, forest and climate cycle, however carbon finance will provide
an additional activity and income, based on conservation and restoration of
the rainforest. The level of job creation can be measured by the number of
days dedicated to the project each year. Net employment is good, but it is
important to demonstrate the quality of jobs, demonstrated by length and
seasonality of employment over project lifetime, average salary and benefits
compared to local standards.
Another economic impact would be in regards to production of food in the
agro-forestry activities. Five years after the planting process has been
finished, plants will begin to produce fruits that can be consumed or sold at
local markets. The diversification of the production raises the level of
resilience of the small-scale farmers against the effects of climate change.
Recently, a large drought period and strong hurricanes had a negative impact
on food production in the area. However if the local people have the
opportunity to produce food in a different way and to have incomes from
carbon finance permits, they will be more prepared to resist such changes.
In the long term, the wood production will be a source of income for
communities. However in the short term, the protection of the rainforest will
also allow the maintenance of sources of firewood near to the village.
Pressure on this kind of natural resources is high, as firewood is the main
source of fuel used by households for cooking.
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Additionally, it is important to note the impact on the soil conservation and
formation. In the Yucatan Peninsula, the soil is thin, and agricultural activities
tend to drain the nutrients quickly. The humus produced by tree leafs is the
only way to produce more soil. The protection and generation of the rainforest
will help to generate more soil and humus, which can be of the great
importance in the future for the health of the rainforest.
Another expected positive impact of the project is the potential increase in
value of timber produced next to the carbon offset area. Forest activity is
considered very important in the region and international certification
standards such as the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) considers the
existence of conservation projects next to forestry management area as highly
valuable. The promotion of the conservation of the rainforest will improve the
corporate image of community forestry enterprises and thus, it could have a
positive impact on prices and establishing commercialization channels.
Ecotourism is an additional activity that has been taken into account. Since
the beginning of the project, numerous individuals or organizations have
visited the project area in order to learn more about the project. Moreover, the
federal government financed “community to community” trips, where
producers from other ejidos visited new and original projects in order to learn
more about activity diversification. This kind of visit generates income for local
guides and chefs and we hope to maintain it in the future.
Moreover, for communities surrounding the project area, the Plan Vivo Project
will be an example of how ecosystem services can be sold. Most communities
need to diversify their activities to raise their incomes and their resilience to
external events. The sale of carbon credits could be the first step in the
implementation of an ecosystem market based conservation, including
protection of biodiversity, water and ecotourism activities, where the local
producers will be the key stakeholders. In the case of the pilot area of the
project, diversification is already working; however a regional integration
strategy will be necessary in order to raise the trade negotiation capacity of
the owners of the rainforest.
5. Ecosystem impacts Table E.3 Summary of expected impacts of project activities on key environmental services Title of technical specification
Biodiversity impacts Water availability impacts Soil conservation impacts Activity Impact
Fallow enrichment and conservation
The species used helps to promote the transit of birds, and mammals like the spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyyi) and badgers (nosed coati). Some of the species (such as Brosylum alicastrum) provide food to those mammals.
Water flow and availability is really difficult to assess in the Yucatan Peninsula, because most of the rivers flows below the ground. But, the root system of large and strong trees facilitates the infiltration of water in the area. However there is no information on the demand of water by the aquifer.
The species are semi-deciduous, so there is an incorporation of organic matter in the soil.
The fallows enrichment allows trees planted to grow in better environmental conditions, than trees planted in open areas. In field observations, ejidatarios have noticed that the cedar plants which have been reforested in managed forest areas have a slow growth in height in relation to the same species planted in fallow areas of the Community Conservation Area.
Avoided deforestation
Promote functional connectivity, especially of the bird species.
Water flow and availability is really difficult to assess in the Yucatan Peninsula, because most of the rivers flows below the ground. But, the root system of large and strong trees facilitates the infiltration of water in the area. However there is no information on the demand of water by the aquifer.
. The species are semi-deciduous, so there is an incorporation of organic matter in the soil.
The avoided deforestation activity permits to maintain habitat for various species. It also permits to maintain trees that can provide seeds for the tree nursery. At a socio economical level, activities such as eco tourism or scientific tourism are under development in the community thanks to this project.
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6. Measures to address risks and ensure permanency Risk management is a central part of the design of the project. Due to its location on the extreme east of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula is particularly sensitive to natural disasters such as hurricanes and droughts. Moreover, the early impacts of climate change seem to have worsened these extreme weather events, and already have had an impact on agriculture and forestry. In regards to the risk assessment, the project will use Risk Management Program of UNDP-Mexico methodology. Table E.4 Permanence Risks Level of risk
(low/medium/high) Management Measures
Forest Fire Medium
Work with the federal government in alert and monitoring systems; trainings of community forest fire brigade; Acquisition of high quality equipment (i.e Mack 3 Water Pump) and Creation of infrastructure, such as towers, firebreak and monitoring trails.
Hurricane High
Field evaluation each year in order to generate a baseline; Remote sensing evaluation (aerial photos and satellite imagery) and Replanting of plants damaged after hurricanes.
Drought Medium
Field evaluation each year in order to generate a baseline; Remote sensing evaluation (aerial photos and satellite imagery); Repositioning of plants damaged after the drought season; Improvement of data collection on climate and Implementation of irrigation systems in parcels of agroforestry land.
Pest and disease Low Use of a mix of native species in order to improve resilience to pests and diseases.
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Training on disease and pest management and enforcement of traditional knowledge and;
Inadequate management Low
Permanent training and knowledge improvement; Diffusion of the rules of community management within the community and in the neighboring communities and; Communication through posters and brochure about the project.
Real estate pressure Medium
Promote the knowledge of federal laws that forbid the trade of land within rainforests; Certification of the CCA as “Natural Protected Area” by federal government for a period of 25 years Pilot projects such as ecotourism that proves the capability of having successful community based businesses and; Promotion of the application of the local community territorial management rules.
Due to the particular position of the Yucatan Peninsula and the social, environmental and economic context, the project considers a buffer of 20 per cent in order to prevent unexpected losses or under achievement of carbon benefits.
7. Measures to address leakage Leakage is a key factor for carbon projects. In this particular case, two factors are important to take into account in order to avoid any leakage risk. The first one is the demographic tendency: 79 per cent of the ejidatarios are more than 50 years old, and generally speaking there has been a large number that tend to migrate to the touristic zone looking for work (Source: INEGI Census 2010?). This demographic transition means less agricultural activities, but also creates a serious risk of land abandonment or sale to be used for the other activities that might have negative impacts on the environment. Another important factor in regard to leakage problem is the relatively big size of ejidos in the area. Compared to other parts of the republic, ejidos in the project area are quite extensive. Felipe Carrillo Puerto has 48,000 hectares, and the average size of ejido in Quintana Roo is 9,353 hectares (Source: RAN). This large amount of land, due to the more recent creation of the Quintana Roo State, makes
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possible different management strategies of the territory, and reduces leakage for carbon projects. Table E.4. Leakage Risks Level of risk
(low/medium/high) Management Measures
1. Displacement of agricultural activity
Low
The agriculture zone has already been established by the territorial management plan outside of the project area and Potential displacement will be monitored by satellite imagery and ground truthing every 5 years.
2.Displacement of forestry activity
Low The areas of the project are located outside of the Permanent Forestry Area and The correct application of the territorial management plan will guarantee no conflict between these activities.
3.Emission from the project application (travel, firebreak)
Low The activities that could potentially emit GHGs will be counted in order to evaluate the leakage, and consider it for the buffer calculation.
3. Additional activities to be supported by the project:
SECTION F. Additionality of project and project activities This carbon project has the following benefits: Absence of the project (baseline) With Project and carbon finance Risk of natural disaster Carbon finance helps to improve disaster
management through investment in equipment and trainings
No respect of the local territorial management plan
Agriculture activities can be oriented to areas defined by the community
Illegal lodging due to the presence of a accessible road in the CCA and weak law enforcement
Carbon finance enforces local management rules
Slow regeneration due to the lack of seeds The fallows enrichment permits to increase
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in large fallow areas the biodiversity by regenerating the affected rainforest
Agriculture projects funded by the public sector means deforestation and less production
The project is decided on by the communities, with an adequate plan and with minimum impact
Land sales due to their value (lagoon, cenote, fertile land or rainforest)
Land that generates income brings a long term vision, an agreement, productivity (wood, fruit, food for wildlife) and the recognition of ecosystem´s services by the society
Potential barriers: Barrier 1: The Real Estate market may have a negative effect, as it is beginning to
be pushed in from the touristic area of the north of the state. Communities may
have the opportunity to sell land at a better price and the rainforest will then get a
‘price tag’ attached to it.
Solution: Giving a “value” to the land that considers the potential carbon income
also integrates the vision of natural resources that local stakeholders have. In
addition, the establishment and monitoring of the indicators of socio-economic and
environmental impacts will be important to overcome this barrier.
Barrier 2: A lack of skills makes it difficult to establish successful restoration or
agro-forestry projects.
Solution: Carbon finance will allow the technical team, hand in hand with the
producers, to develop methodologies that will ensure the success of the project
activities
Barrier 3: Public incentives are oriented much more towards agriculture and
livestock than forestry activities.
Solution: The access to national and international finance from carbon gives
communities more independence in choosing the development strategies.
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Together with the technical team, they can design their own agenda and being
active actors in order to influence public policies (i.e. the national or regional
REDD+ strategy). The generation of new knowledge gives more negotiation power
to communities.
SECTION G: Monitoring and technical support plan
1. Monitoring of carbon indicators Two types of indicators will be used in order to monitor the achievement of the
project.
The first one will be the evaluation of a sample of permanents plots, in order to
monitor the growth rate and to identify eventual problems (natural and man-made
disasters). This effective carbon offset monitoring will be created by the local
communities participating in the project. Interpretation of data will be carried out by
the technical group (U´yool´che A.C.), however the results elaborated in the form of
posters and shared and commented with a community. Apart from the permanent
plots, an effort has been made in measurements of the annual increment of the
principal species of the jungle. This effort shall be carried out continually for the
next 10 years in order to generate stronger data in regards to growth rates.
The second indicator will be the tendency of land use change in the whole project
area. This will be measured through the interpretation of satellite images, every
five years. An assessment of changes in land use will be carried out, as well as an
analysis of negative (such as leakage) or positives impacts will be done. Results of
the monitoring will be compared to the baseline as well as to the last analysis. For
this kind of monitoring, communities will be involved in the interpretation of the
causes of land use change. Results will be published each year in the form of
posters, in order to communicate the information to the local stakeholders.
2. Monitoring of environmental impacts of the proposed activities:
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Table G.1. Methods of monitoring environmental impacts of proposed activities Impacts Baseline Methods and thresholds Biodiversity
impacts
Under development
Community monitoring: Annual transects in
plot areas, auto monitoring with maps and use
of automatic cameras in order to evaluate
changes in the population of mammals and
birds.
Each 5 years, the permanent plot of
vegetation will be reviewed.
Water
availability
impacts
Under development
Community monitoring with the Global Water
Watch Methodology. Factors to be considered
include the amount of water in the lagoon and
cenotes, and quality of the water. Local
stakeholders will receive training in order to be
able to carry out the monitoring on their own.
As there are few places with superficial water,
the number of plots will be limited.
3. Monitoring livelihood and socio-economic impacts
Table G.2. Methods of measurement of expected socio-economic impacts
Area of impact Baseline Method of measurement
Local incomes
No income for
conservation activities
Total income from the
forest and agricultural
area, as if the area
was used for those
activities. In case the
purpose of it changes
Sum of economic benefits generated
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from the one defined
by the territorial
management plan
(OT)
Employment No job for
conservation activities
or carbon activities
Number of hours/person dedicated to the
carbon offset project
And the seasonality of the work, the
permanence during the year
Experience
sharing
There is no
experience of carbon
offset in the region
Number of people, members of the
communities received to share this
experience and number of hours of
training provided to community experts
from other parts of the region
Knowledge on the climate change and
carbon
4. Technical support and review: Since the beginning, U´yool´che A.C., has been in charge of the technical support
and has worked closely with the community in order to improve skills and
infrastructure. An experienced team of experts on forest management, biology and
rural development is helping ejidatarios to implement the project. Trainings are
organized at least four times a year, using participative methods and respecting the
traditional knowledge of the local people. This particular method has a positive
impact on knowledge development, because it considers merging together
scientific and traditional expertises. More than a technology or knowledge transfer,
the project seeks to build long-term skills, so the local people will feel respected
and valued for their knowledge and experience.
In the project implementation period, the technical team will try to reach all the
actors by organizing at least two meetings or trainings every year. Each event will
be registered and additional funding may be used for these activities. Needs for
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new training will be assessed each year and presented into the annual report. The
project also proposes to implement more exchanges between communities, in the
Mayan language whenever it is possible. The direct training from community
experts can be transferred to other communities who are interested in carbon
offsetting, which will allow a replication of this particular experience and ensure that
the knowledge is shared.
We believe that quality training will be a vital part of the project. The example of
pilot project of hydroponic production tells us that its success is only possible by
carrying out the permanent training. Other examples show that the projects usually
failed because of the lack of training or funds to pay technical experts (transition
costs). Carbon finance should help to finance the basic training needs that will in
return guarantee the long term success of the project.
SECTION H. Compliance with the law
The legal frameworks in Mexico do not infringe upon the development of this kind
of project. The law about the use of ecosystem service of the forest and rainforests
in Mexico permits the promotion, sales, organization, contingency management
and restoration of ecosystems, in order to give more value to the ecosystem
service that these ecosystems provide (see annex number eight).
SECTION I. Certification or evaluation to other standards The project has not been certified or applied to be certified by any other carbon standard.
Annexes
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Annex 1: List of responsible staff and contact information Name Function Contact information Sébastien Proust Program director [email protected]
0052 983 83 40176 David Lopez Merlin Technical Coordinator [email protected]
Dulce Magaña Cruz Finance administrator [email protected] José Areola Palacios Forestry Manager [email protected] Dyonisio Yam Moo Community expert
coordinator No email
All staff members are based in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
Annex 2: Information regarding public and other sources of co-funding Public Funding
• The project received funding from the federal government through 3
agencies of SEMARNAT.
• CONAFOR funded the project with a total of USD$40,000.00 in 4 years.
• PROCYMAF II funded the project with a total of USD$15,136.00 in 2007,
2008 and 2009.
• CONANP funded the project with a total of MXN $3,636.00 in 2008.
International Funding
• The project received a grant of USD$ 76,545.00 from UNDP – COMPACT in
2008 and 2009.
• USAID-Mexico funded the project with USD$ 7,0,454.00.
Private Funding
• The private foundation Reforestamos Mexico A.C. funded the project with a
total of USD$ 20,909.00 in 3 years.
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Annex 3: Technical specifications See separate reports on technical specifications
MKK_fallow_enrichment.pdf
MKK_avoided_deforestation-pdf
Annex 4: Producer/group agreement template See separate document: 1. Agreement Plan Vivo U YOOL CHE.pdf
Annex 5: Monitoring plan See chapter “Monitoring plan” in technical specifications:
MKK_fallow_enrichment.pdf
MKK_avoided_deforestation-pdf
Annex 6: Database template
The project will use the Plan Vivo Database template, traduced to Spanish by U´yool´ché A.C.
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Annex 7. Example of forest management plans See management operation in technical specifications.
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Annex 8. Permits and legal documentation Federal and state laws related to the Much Kanan K´áax project Ley nacional o Estatal Artículos que promueven los servicios ecosistémicos de los bosques y
selvas de México Ley agraria. Ley de carácter nacional (Define lo que son terrenos forestales)
Artículo 116.- Para los efectos de esta ley, se entiende por: III. Tierras forestales: los suelos utilizados para el manejo productivo de bosques o selvas.
Ley de Desarrollo rural sustentable. Ley de carácter nacional. (promueve la producción de bienes y servicios ambientales)
Artículo 53.- Los gobiernos federal y estatales estimularán la reconversión, en términos de estructura productiva sustentable, incorporación de cambios tecnológicos, y de procesos que contribuyan a la productividad y competitividad del sector agropecuario, a la seguridad y soberanía alimentarias y al óptimo uso de las tierras mediante apoyos e inversiones complementarias. El Gobierno Federal, a través de la Secretaría competente, podrá suscribir con los productores, individualmente u organizados, contratos de aprovechamiento sustentable de tierras definidos regionalmente, con el objeto de propiciar un aprovechamiento útil y sustentable de las tierras, buscando privilegiar la integración y la diversificación de las cadenas productivas, generar empleos, agregar valor a las materias primas, revertir el deterioro de los recursos naturales, producir bienes y servicios ambientales, proteger la biodiversidad y el paisaje, respetar la cultura, los usos y costumbres de la población, así como prevenir los desastres naturales. El Gobierno Federal, a su vez, cubrirá el pago convenido por los servicios establecidos en el contrato, evaluará los resultados y solicitará al Congreso de la Unión la autorización de los recursos presupuestales indispensables para su ejecución.
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Ley nacional o Estatal Artículos que promueven los servicios ecosistémicos de los bosques y
selvas de México Ley General de Desarrollo Forestal Sustentable. Ley de carácter nacional. (Establece la política de promoción, manejo de contingencias, reforestación y restauración en áreas forestales)
ARTICULO 3. Son objetivos específicos de esta Ley: XIV. Estimular las certificaciones forestales y de bienes y servicios ambientales, tomando en consideración los lineamientos internacionales correspondientes; ARTICULO 15. Corresponden a los Gobiernos de los Municipios, de conformidad con esta Ley y las Leyes locales en la materia, las siguientes atribuciones: XII. Participar en la planeación y ejecución de la reforestación, forestación, restauración de suelos y conservación de los bienes y servicios ambientales forestales, dentro de su ámbito territorial de competencia; ARTICULO 30. La política nacional en materia forestal deberá promover el fomento y la adecuada planeación de un desarrollo forestal sustentable, entendido éste como un proceso evaluable y medible mediante criterios e indicadores de carácter ambiental, silvícola, económico y social que tienda a alcanzar una productividad óptima y sostenida de los recursos forestales sin comprometer el rendimiento, equilibrio e integridad de los ecosistemas forestales, que mejore el ingreso y la calidad de vida de las personas que participan en la actividad forestal y promueva la generación de valor agregado en las regiones forestales, diversificando las alternativas productivas y creando fuentes de empleo en el sector.
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Ley nacional o Estatal Artículos que promueven los servicios ecosistémicos de los bosques y
selvas de México Ley General de Desarrollo Forestal Sustentable. Ley de carácter nacional. (Establece la política de promoción, manejo de contingencias, reforestación y restauración en áreas forestales)
VII. Crear mecanismos económicos para compensar, apoyar o estimular a los propietarios y poseedores de los recursos forestales por la generación de los bienes y servicios ambientales, considerando a éstos como bienes públicos, para garantizar la biodiversidad y la sustentabilidad de la vida humana; ARTICULO 131. La reforestación que se realice con propósitos de conservación y restauración, las actividades de forestación y las prácticas de agrosilvicultura en terrenos degradados de vocación forestal no requerirán de autorización y solamente estarán sujetas a las normas oficiales mexicanas, en lo referente a no causar un impacto negativo sobre la biodiversidad. ARTICULO 124. Los propietarios y poseedores de los terrenos forestales y preferentemente forestales y sus colindantes, quienes realicen el aprovechamiento de recursos forestales, la forestación o plantaciones forestales comerciales y reforestación, así como los prestadores de servicios técnicos forestales responsables de los mismos y los encargados de la administración de las áreas naturales protegidas, estarán obligados a ejecutar trabajos para prevenir, combatir y controlar incendios forestales, en los términos de las normas oficiales mexicanas aplicables. Asimismo, todas las autoridades y las empresas o personas relacionadas con la extracción, transporte y transformación, están obligadas a reportar a la Comisión la existencia de los conatos o incendios forestales que detecten.
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Ley nacional o Estatal Artículos que promueven los servicios ecosistémicos de los bosques y
selvas de México Ley General del equilibrio Ecológico y la Protección al Ambiente. Ley de carácter nacional. (Establece la categoría de áreas destinadas voluntariamente a la conservación como una categoría de Área Natural Protegida)
ARTÍCULO 55 BIS.- Las áreas destinadas voluntariamente a la conservación son aquellas que pueden presentar cualquiera de las características y elementos biológicos señalados en los artículos 48 al 55 de la presente Ley; proveer servicios ambientales o que por su ubicación favorezcan el cumplimiento de los objetivos previstos en el artículo 45 de esta Ley. Para tal efecto, la Secretaría emitirá un certificado, en los términos de lo previsto por la Sección V del presente Capítulo. Dichos predios se considerarán como áreas productivas dedicadas a una función de interés público. El establecimiento, administración y manejo de las áreas destinadas voluntariamente a la conservación se sujetará a lo previsto en la Sección V del presente Capítulo.
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Ley nacional o Estatal Artículos que promueven los servicios ecosistémicos de los bosques y
selvas de México Ley de Equilibrio Ecológico y La Protección del Ambiente del Estado De Quintana Roo. Ley de carácter estatal. (Establece como un bien público los servicios ecosistémicos y promueve su conservación. Expresa que las tareas de reforestación y restauración no serán sujetas a autorización)
Artículo 5.- Son causas de utilidad pública en materia forestal, además de las establecidas en la Ley de Expropiación del Estado de Quintana Roo: VI.- La generación de bienes y servicios ambientales y las acciones necesarias para asegurar su conservación, protección y mejoramiento; Artículo 94.- Es de interés público y será promovido por la Secretaría, la protección, conservación y regeneración de la flora silvestre comprendida en el territorio de la entidad, tanto en sus porciones terrestres como acuáticas SECCIÓN SEGUNDA REFORESTACIÓN Y FORESTACIÓN CON FINES DE RESTAURACIÓN Artículo 112.- Las acciones de reforestación y/o forestación que se realicen con fines de restauración en terrenos degradados no requerirán de autorización. Al efecto se deberán utilizar especies de la región adaptadas a las condiciones de las áreas que se van a reforestar o forestar. Queda prohibida la utilización de especies exóticas.
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Related Documents
Annual Reports
Verification Reports
Corrective Action Reports
