PROJECT DESCRIPTION VCS Version 3.6, CCB Standards Third Edition REDD+ PROJECT FOR CARIBEAN GUATEMALA: THE CONSERVATION COAST Karen Aguilar, Development Director [email protected] Document Prepared By Paz Lozano, Manager of Development Services [email protected] Kyle Holland, Managing Director [email protected] v3.0 1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION VCS Version 3.6, CCB Standards Third Edition Project Title REDD+ PROJECT FOR CARIBBEAN GUATEMALA: THE CONSERVATION COAST Project Location Department of Izabal, Guatemala Project Proponent Fundacion para el Ecodesarrollo y la Conservacion (FUNDAECO) Phone: (502) 23141900 Address: 25 calle 2-39 zona 1, Guatemala City, Guatemala Website: www.fundaeco.org.gt Document Prepared By Ecological Carbon Offsets Partners, LLC (ecoPartners) Tel: +1 415 634 4650 Address: 2930 Shattuck Avenue, Suite 305, Berkeley, CA 94705 Website: www.epcarbon.com Auditor AENOR - Asociación Española de Normalización y Certificación Phone: + 34 914 326 000 Address: Genova, 6. 28004 Madrid , Spain Website: www.aenor.es Project Start Date 1 April 2012 GHG Crediting Period and 1 April 2012 – 31 March 2042 Project Lifetime Project Implementation Not applicable for validation. Period and GHG Monitoring Period Validation Status Seeking full validation CCB Status History Undergoing initial validation Standards Used VCS v3.6, VCS Methodology VM0015 v1.1, CCB Standards Third Edition CCB Benefits Summary The project objectives are threefold: (i) to mitigate climate change by reducing deforestation; (ii) contribute to biodiversity conservation including High Conservation Values, and, (iii) foster sustainable development of local communities. v3.0 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION VCS Version 3.6, CCB Standards Third Edition Gold Level Criteria None Date of PDD Completion 9 January 2017 PDD Version Number 2.3 Expected Verification March 2017 and annually thereafter Schedule v3.0 3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION VCS Version 3.6, CCB Standards Third Edition Table of Contents 1 General ..................................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1 Summary Description of the Project (G1)......................................................................................... 11 1.1.1 Project Description .................................................................................................................... 11 1.1.2 Project Objectives ..................................................................................................................... 11 1.2 Project Location (G1) ........................................................................................................................ 13 1.2.1 Ownership and Control ............................................................................................................. 13 1.2.2 Geographic Boundaries ............................................................................................................. 14 1.2.3 Project Physical Parameters ...................................................................................................... 15 1.2.4 Project Zone .............................................................................................................................. 20 1.2.5 Grouped Project Area ................................................................................................................ 21 1.2.6 Project Area ............................................................................................................................... 23 1.3 Conditions Prior to Project Initiation (G1 & G2) ............................................................................... 25 1.3.1 Eligibility .................................................................................................................................... 25 1.3.2 Vegetation and Forest Type ...................................................................................................... 25 1.3.3 Carbon Stocks ............................................................................................................................ 25 1.3.4 Land Use .................................................................................................................................... 26 1.3.5 Property Rights .......................................................................................................................... 26 1.3.6 Communities ............................................................................................................................. 28 1.3.7 Biodiversity ................................................................................................................................ 36 1.3.8 High Conservation Values ......................................................................................................... 38 1.4 Project Proponent (G4) ..................................................................................................................... 46 1.4.1 Multiple Project Proponents ..................................................................................................... 46 1.5 Other Entities Involved in the Project (G4) ....................................................................................... 47 1.5.1 Technical Skills and Capacity ..................................................................................................... 48 1.5.2 Regulators ................................................................................................................................. 48 1.5.3 GHG Programme Administrators .............................................................................................. 48 1.6 Project Start Date (G1) ..................................................................................................................... 48 1.6.1 Program Start Date .................................................................................................................... 48 1.6.2 Project Activity Instance Start Dates ......................................................................................... 49 1.7 Project Crediting Period (G1) ............................................................................................................ 51 1.7.1 Project Lifetime and Chronological Plan ................................................................................... 51 1.7.2 Implementation Schedule ......................................................................................................... 51 1.7.3 Baseline Reassessment ............................................................................................................. 51 1.7.4 ARR/ IFM Harvesting Periods .................................................................................................... 51 2 Project Design (G1) .................................................................................................................................. 52 2.1 Sectoral Scope and Project Type ...................................................................................................... 52 2.1.1 Grouped Project ........................................................................................................................ 52 2.1.2 Project Eligibility ........................................................................................................................ 52 2.1.3 Methodology Requirements ..................................................................................................... 52 2.1.4 Project Conversions ................................................................................................................... 53 2.1.5 Jurisdictional REDD+ .................................................................................................................. 53 2.1.6 Good Practice and Guidance ..................................................................................................... 53 2.1.7 Multiple Project Activities ......................................................................................................... 54 2.1.8 Multiple Project Activities Instances ......................................................................................... 54 2.2 Description of the Project Activity (G2) ............................................................................................ 55 v3.0 4 PROJECT DESCRIPTION VCS Version 3.6, CCB Standards Third Edition 2.2.1 Description of Project Technologies ......................................................................................... 57 2.2.2 Project Climate Impacts ............................................................................................................ 57 2.2.3 Project Community Impacts ...................................................................................................... 57 2.2.4 Project Biodiversity Impacts ...................................................................................................... 58 2.2.5 Project Activity Lifetime ............................................................................................................ 59 2.3 Management of Risks to Project Benefits (G1) ................................................................................ 59 2.3.1 Climate Risks ............................................................................................................................. 59 2.3.2 Community Risks ......................................................................................................................