MOLDOVA SOIL CONSERVATION PROJECT Liliana Spitoc, Forest Research and Management Institute,

1. BIO CARBON FUND MOLDOVA SOIL CONSERVATION PROJECT Liliana Spitoc, Forest Research and Management Institute, Republic of Moldova

2. MOLDOVA SOIL CONSERVATION PROJECT • The main project activity is carbon sequestration through afforestation of 20,3 thousand ha of degraded, eroded land unfit for agricultural use. • The project is supporting the policy of the Republic of Moldova concerning the afforestation and extension of lands with forest vegetation. This policy is an important strategically for sustainable development and management of forestry sector in Moldova.

3. MOLDOVA SOIL CONSERVATION PROJECT Project implementation will: • Extend areas covered with forest vegetation (by 15 % from 2003-2020); • Decrease negative impact of economic development through carbon sequestration and reduction of GHG (total volume of sequestered CO2during first 20 years = 4.3 million tons); • Decrease degradation processes and improve environmental factors with direct impact on population health and ecological security; • Promote sustainable development of forests from the Republic of Moldova; • Enhance biodiversity; • Provide local population with wood and non-wood forest products (hunting, medicinal plants, beekeeping etc.); • Create additionalemployment (temporary and permanent).

4. MOLDOVA SOIL CONSERVATION PROJECT National forest definition: • A forestpresents an element of the geographical landscape, a functional unit of the biosphere, composed of the forest vegetation community (with dominance of trees and bushes), living litter, animals and microorganisms, which are interdependent in their biological development and influence their forest habitat; • Minimum area: 0.25 ha; • Minimum tree cover: 30%; • Minimum tree height: 5 m;

5. MOLDOVA SOIL CONSERVATION PROJECT Confirmation of the correspondence of plots included in the project to the requirements of Marrakesh Accords • Confirmation of land use categories of plots included in the project as of 31.12.1989 and of data of plantation by cadastral offices; • Copies from cadastral maps/schemes of plots; • Digital photo at the initial phase of implementation; • Documentation of forest management planning; • Validation and initial verification by third parties.

6. MOLDOVA SOIL CONSERVATION PROJECT Distribution of planting sites and their areas in the project Source: Project Implementation Unit, Moldova Soil Conservation Project, Moldsilva, Chisinau.

7. MOLDOVA SOIL CONSERVATION PROJECT Species and varieties selected forthe project activity Criteria used in the selection of species for planting under the project: • Adaptability of species to soils and climate. • Fast growing locally adapted species (e.g.Robiniapseudoacacia, Gleditschia triachantos, Poplar sp) to variety of soils, slope and elevation. • Slow growing native species (Quercus, Fraxinus) are given priority on less degraded sites. • Species preferences of the local communities to meet their demands for fuelwood, timber, and non-wood forest products. • Low fodder collection costs to the local communities after the growth and establishment of the plantations. Major species groups: • Quercus- group: Quercus rubra, Q. robur, Q. petraea, Fraxinus, Carpinus, Tilia, Acer, Cornus, Prunus, Pyrus, Corylus, Viburnum, Sambucus • Robinia-group: Robinia pseudoacacia, Gleditsia triacanthos, Sophora, Ulmus, Acer, Cornus, Corylus • Populus-group: Populus alba, P. nigra, Salix, Ulmus, Acer, Sambucus, Corylus, Sorbus, Viburnum • Pinus-group: Pinus nigra, P. sylvestris, Acer, Cotinus, Eleaegnus, Tamarix, Rosa, Crataegus, Prunus, Rubus

8. MOLDOVA SOIL CONSERVATION PROJECT Methodology Approved (at the meeting of CDM Executive Board of UNFCCC from May 10-12, 2006.) afforestation and reforestation baseline and monitoring methodology AR-AM 0002: Restoration of Degraded Lands through Afforestation / Reforestation is applied to the proposed AR CDM project.

9. Ex ante actual net GHG removals by sinks under the project

10. The monitoring methodology includes the following elements: • Monitoring of the overall performance of the proposed A/R CDM project activity, including the integrity of the project boundary and the success of forest establishment and forest management activities; • Monitoring of the actual net GHG removals by sinks, increases in GHG emissions within the project boundary due to nitrogen fertilization, use of machinery, and removal of non-tree vegetation and burning of biomass in site preparation activities; • Monitoring of leakage from the use of vehicles in the transportation of staff, seedlings, timber and non forest products, as a result of the implementation of the A/R CDM project activity; • A Quality Assurance/Quality Control plan that covers field measurements, data collection, verification, data entry and archival, as an integral part of the monitoring plan to improve the monitoring efficiency and to ensure the integrity of data collected in the A/R CDM project activity.

11. MOLDOVA SOIL CONSERVATION PROJECT The following basic indicators will be the subject of the monitoring: • Carbon sequestration (soil and biomass); • Soil conservation; • Biodiversity conservation; • Socio-economic situation within the project boundary. • At the same time will be monitored the following permanent technical indicators: planting volume and quality, composition of forestry crops, management activities (forestry works/cuttings etc.).

12. MOLDOVA SOIL CONSERVATION PROJECT Chronology of events under of Moldova Soil Conservation Project Nr. Activities Period 1. Development of Project Concept Note April 2002 2. Start of planting works under the project November 2002 3. Baseline Study (by GFA „Terra Systems”) March-April 2003 4. Initial validation (by SGS) September 2003 5. Development of Monitoring Plan (by Winrock Internat.) November 2003 6. Beginning of PDD development process June 2004 7. Initial verification (by TUV Sud-Deutschland) July 2004 8. Approval of methodology May 2006 9. Finalization of plantings under the project December 2006 10. Pre-registration verification (by SGS) March 2007 11. Registration of the project at UNFCCC Secretariat I quarter 2008

13. Revenues from carbon sale • Prototype Carbon Fund provides the procurement of emission reductions of CO2 in the atmosphere in the volume of 1,3 mln. tons at the price of US$3,5 /t. Economic effect generated by the sale of ERs of CO2 is estimated at US$4,55 mln. For the period of 14 years. • BioCarbon FundAgreement provides the procurement of the emission reductions of CO2 in the volume of 600,000 tons at the price of US$4,13/ton. Economic effect generated by the sale of this volume is estimated as US$2.478.000.

14. MOLDOVA SOIL CONSERVATION PROJECT LESSONS • To facilitate the process, it was necessary to involve of all forestry actors in implementation of large-scale projects (“Moldsilva”, ICAS, forestry enterprises, mayoralties). • The process enhanced capacity in Moldova through the necessity to learn new methods and technologies including: • Use of simulations and forecasting for forest plantations (unusual activities in forestry); • Use of models for estimation of GHG removals by forest vegetation (CO2fix v.2.0module); • Use of GPSand GIS; • Creation and operation of complex data base for forestry resources. • Additional financial resources can result from the implementation of traditional activities. • It was necessary to develop communication plans between stakeholders for the implementation of national forestry strategies and programs. • The process was simplified by hiring experts to solve issues such as socio-economic problems of rural communities, promotion of agro-forestry and silvo-pastoral practices.