Wildlife Conservation Society Makira Forest Protected Area Project Design Document Draft: October 2011 For submission to: SmartWood Program, Rainforest Alliance Following Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) Standards Second Edition, December 2008 __________________________________________________________________________________ Contact: Christopher Holmes Title: Country Program Director WCS Madagascar Email: [email protected] 1 WCS Makira Project CCBS Project Design Document Table of Contents ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS.....................................................................................................7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................8 GENERAL SECTION.............................................................................................................................9 G1. ORIGINAL CONDITIONS IN THE PROJECT AREA ............................................................................9 GENERAL INFORMATION.............................................................................................................................. 9 G1.1. Project location and basic physical parameters ....................................................................... 9 G1.2. Types and condition of vegetation within the project zone.................................................... 12 G1.3. Project area and project zone boundaries.............................................................................. 14 CLIMATE INFORMATION ............................................................................................................................ 16 G1.4. Current carbon stocks within the project area ....................................................................... 16 COMMUNITY INFORMATION....................................................................................................................... 19 G1.5. Communities, socio‐economic and cultural information........................................................ 19 G1.6. Land use and customary and legal property rights ................................................................ 24 BIODIVERSITY INFORMATION...................................................................................................................... 28 G1.7. A description of current biodiversity within the project zone................................................. 28 G1.8. High conservation values in the project zone ......................................................................... 32 G2. BASELINE PROJECTIONS ............................................................................................................36 G2.1. Most likely land‐use scenario in absence of project ............................................................... 36 G2.2. Documentation that project benefits would not happen in absence of project / project ‘Additionality’................................................................................................................................... 42 G2.3. Calculation of estimated carbon stock changes in absence of project................................... 47 G2.4. ‘Without Project’ scenario effects on project zone communities ........................................... 60 G2.4. ‘Without Project’ scenario effects on project zone communities ........................................... 61 G2.5. ‘Without Project’ scenario effects on project zone biodiversity ............................................. 63 G3. PROJECT DESIGN AND GOALS....................................................................................................65 G3.1. Project’s major climate, community and biodiversity objectives ........................................... 65 G3.2. Project activities......................................................................................................................68 G3.3. Project location and boundaries............................................................................................. 74 G3.4. Timeframe for the duration of the project and its credits ...................................................... 74 G3.5. Risks and mitigation measures ............................................................................................... 74 G3.6. Measures to ensure maintenance or enhancement of the HCV value ................................... 79 G3.7. Measures to enhance permanence of project benefits .......................................................... 79 G3.8. Stakeholder consultations and involvement........................................................................... 81 G3.9. Publication of CCBA public comment period to all stakeholders............................................ 87 WCS Makira Project CCBS Project Design Document 2 G3.10. Grievances and conflicts resolution ...................................................................................... 88 G3.11. Project financing................................................................................................................... 88 G4. MANAGEMENT CAPACITY AND BEST PRACTICES .......................................................................91 G4.1. Project proponent ................................................................................................................... 91 G4.2. Key technical skills .................................................................................................................. 91 G4.3. Training and capacity building of project’s employees and communities.............................. 94 G4.4. Employment policy.................................................................................................................. 95 G4.5. Relevant laws and regulations covering worker’s rights in the host country......................... 95 G4.6. Employee safety...................................................................................................................... 96 G4.7. Financial health of the implementing organisation................................................................ 96 G5. LEGAL STATUS AND PROPERTY RIGHTS .....................................................................................97 G5.1. Relevant laws and regulations, international treaties and agreements ................................ 97 G5.2. Demonstration of approval from authorities ....................................................................... 101 G5.3. Guarantee that the project will not result in property encroachment ................................. 101 G5.4. Demonstration that project does not require involuntary relocation .................................. 102 G5.5. Identification and mitigation of illegal activities .................................................................. 102 G5.6. Demonstration of land tenure status and title to carbon rights........................................... 102 CLIMATE SECTION .........................................................................................................................105 CL1. NET POSITIVE CLIMATE IMPACTS ...........................................................................................105 CL1.1. Net change in carbon stocks due to project activities......................................................... 105 CL1.2. Net change in emissions of non‐CO2 gases.......................................................................... 108 CL1.3. Other GHG emissions from project activities....................................................................... 109 CL1.4. Net climate impact of the project........................................................................................ 109 CL1.5. Specification how double counting is avoided..................................................................... 110 CL2. OFFSITE CLIMATE IMPACTS (‘LEAKAGE’).................................................................................111 CL2.1. Determination of leakage type and extent.......................................................................... 111 CL2.2. Documentation and quantification of how Leakage will be mitigated............................... 113 CL2.3. Subtracting project related leakage from carbon benefits ................................................. 113 CL2.4. Inclusion of non‐CO2 gases in calculations .......................................................................... 114 CL3. CLIMATE IMPACT MONITORING.............................................................................................115 CL3.1. Carbon pools to be monitored............................................................................................. 115 CL3.2. Monitoring plan................................................................................................................... 115 COMMUNITY SECTION ..................................................................................................................119 CM1. NET POSITIVE COMMUNITY IMPACTS...................................................................................119 CM1.1. Impacts on communities.................................................................................................... 119 CM1.2. Impact on high conservation value.................................................................................... 123 CM2. OFFSITE STAKEHOLDER IMPACTS..........................................................................................124 WCS Makira Project CCBS Project