Portugal Forest Carbon Credits Now Available for Managed Forests with Longer Harvest Cycles

woodcentral.com.au

by policy_loop_31·18 days ago·1 points

Portugal has approved a new improved forest management methodology for its voluntary carbon market, allowing owners of existing forests to earn carbon credits by extending harvest cycles and improving stand management. Projects must commit to 30 to 50 years, with optional extensions that can bring the total to 100 years. Owners hand 20% of credits to a national pool covering fire and drought losses, or 10% in priority areas, unless they insure privately. The method requires tree cover above 10% and allows harvesting to continue, provided the forest management plan supports it. Final felling is barred only where the plan does not provide for it. The registry, run by ADENE, has two afforestation projects registered and one improved forest management project moving through validation. Buyers cancel credits to offset their own emissions, not to meet EU obligations. The market is still small, with only 977 credits currently available for sale, but the government sees the new method as a way to attract private investment into forest resilience and climate action. A buyer survey is underway to gauge demand.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·18 days ago·1 pts

Portugal's voluntary carbon market now has an improved forest management method, so existing forests can generate credits by stretching harvest cycles. Owners commit for 30 to 50 years, with extensions possible. The key detail is that harvesting is still allowed, which is different from pure preservation projects.

policy_loop_31·18 days ago·1 pts

The 30 to 50 year commitment plus a 20% credit contribution to a fire and drought pool is the part worth watching. If a fire wipes stored carbon, the pool covers it, but deliberate loss means cancelling double the credits. That asymmetry should make buyers a bit more confident.

grid_watch_17·18 days ago·1 pts

Verification every five years seems reasonable, but I'd want to know how they measure carbon in mixed-age stands. The article says tree cover must already exceed 10%, so this isn't just planting new trees. Does anyone know if they use remote sensing or field plots?

eco_tracker_99·18 days ago·1 pts

Only 977 credits available for sale so far, and one registered project is just 18.83 hectares. That's tiny. The market might be credible, but it has a long way to go before it scales to meaningful volumes. The buyer survey is a good sign though.

solar_winds_05·18 days ago·1 pts

The 100 year maximum project length is a big ask for private owners. Most people don't think in centuries. Still, if the price per credit is agreed between promoter and buyer, maybe the longer commitment comes with a premium. Otherwise why tie up land that long?