Moldova: Community Forestry Development
(Biocarbon Fund Tranche 2)
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Site for reforestation in Moldova |
The project aims to establish new community forests on an area of 7,619 ha through the afforestation of eroded and unproductive agricultural lands, creating forest protection belts. About 85% of project areas are completely degraded, subject to ravine and surface erosion, landslides etc, and is essentially excluded from the general production cycle. The project will result in increased carbon sequestration and reduction of GHG, improvement of forest resources, provision of wood to the local population, and sustainable development of the local communities.
Total sequestration is estimated at 697,000 t CO2e by 2017 (229,000t CO2e by 2012). In the absence of the project the areas would continue to be degraded and possibly increasingly degraded. The principal barrier to afforestation in the area is related to investment and lack of financial resources. In the current situation, the financial capacity of the state forestry sector is very low, and without carbon finance afforestation would not take place. In the medium term important additional environmental and social benefits should also be achieved by the project, including reduction of erosion, landslides, improved habitats for wildlife, increased biodiversity, and increased access to forest products for local communities. Participation of about 264 local councils is expected. A mix of native and naturalized species will be planted, including fruit trees. The proportion of native species will range between 25-75%, depending on the severity of land degradation. Community buy-in, local awareness and the implementation of a monitoring plan should mitigate risks of leakage and non-permanence.
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Site for reforestation in Moldova |
The project sponsors are the State Forestry Agency “Moldsilva” (about 80% of the total costs) and local communities (about 20% with in-kind contribution). The exact co-financing will be determined in each concrete case by signing a special agreement between Moldsilva and local councils. Moldsilva is familiar with carbon finance, having projects in BioCF Tranche One and PCF, and the voluntary market. The owners of the emission reductions will be Moldsilva and local councils. The “Moldsilva” Forestry Agency will participate as a project sponsor as well as an intermediary body between BioCarbon Fund and local councils. For this purpose “Moldsilva” (through its Moldsilva forest enterprises) has signed contracts on cooperation with all local councils participating in the project, in which the obligations of each party are established, including issues related to the sale of emission reductions and the transfer of payments for emission reductions from the BioCarbon Fund.
Total Project Emission Reductions Generation tCO2e – 697,000
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