MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday 30 October 2024
Carbon methods for native forests must be ‘nature positive’
Forestry Australia is calling on the Australian Government to ensure that new ACCU Scheme carbon methods developed for managing native forests are truly ‘nature positive’, of high integrity and robustness, and will support the long-term health and resilience of our native forests and communities.
Acting President, Dr Bill Jackson said Forestry Australia acknowledges the Australian Government has this week announced a short list of new carbon methods for the ACCU Scheme.
“Forestry Australia submitted a strong carbon method proposal for consideration under the Proponent-Led Method Development Process for the ACCU Scheme.
“At this stage, the Forestry Australia-led proposal has not been prioritised; however, we are very encouraged by the advice from the Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee that our proposal has excellent alignment with the Offsets Integrity Standards and triage criteria and supported it for development, if or when departmental resources permit,” Dr Jackson said.
“Forestry Australia remains fully supportive of its proposed new carbon method and is looking forward to engaging with the Australian Government to progress its further development in the near future. Forestry Australia calls on the Australian Government to commit more resources to the ACCU Scheme and its proponent-led method development process.”
“The proposed method, Enhancing Native Forest Resilience, is focussed on improving the health and resilience of native forests and encouraging active, adaptive management of native forests across all land tenures to assist Australia in meeting its Paris Agreement targets.
“Our proposed method is also based on enabling broader participation in the carbon market, which could include State forest management agencies and national parks managers as well as community groups, not-for-profits, private native forest landowners, and First Peoples.
“Forestry Australia’s method is based on a growing body of published work that shows forests that are actively managed can have greater carbon sequestration and storage potential.
“The proposal encompasses restorative forestry practices and active forest management focused on improving habitat values, carbon stocks and resilience to droughts and wildfires.
ENDS
ABOUT FORESTRY AUSTRALIA
Forestry Australia is an independent, not-for-profit professional association of more than 1,000 forest scientists, managers and growers who work in native forests, plantations and provision of environmental services. Its members are committed to the principles of sustainable forest management and applying these principles to generate environmental, social and economic outcomes in all types of forests and land tenures.
ABOUT DR BILL JACKSON
Bill Jackson is an adjunct Professor with the Tropical Forest and People Research Centre of the University of the Sunshine Coast and an independent consultant with over 40 years’ experience in forest conservation and management, protected area management and community development.
Bill was the chief author for the Australia State of Environment Report 2016, and he held the positions of Chief Executive of Parks Victoria and Director of National Parks from late 2010 until mid-2015. Prior to his appointment to Parks Victoria, he was Deputy Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). During his 13 years with the IUCN, he helped establish the organisation’s overall strategy and worked on a wide range of conservation issues in Africa, Asia, the Pacific and Latin America. Earlier in his career he worked on community forestry in Nepal and forest and fire management in New South Wales. His PhD focused on community forestry in Nepal.
For further information: Becher Townshend, 0418 370 661