8 August 2006 - Growing forests
to offset greenhouse gas emissions will become
easier for landholders and land managers in rural
and regional Australia with the release today
of a new guide to planning forest carbon sink
projects.
Australian Minister for the
Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell,
said that Planning Forest Sink Projects: A Guide
to Forest Sink Planning, Management and Carbon
Accounting would provide invaluable advice and
information for those thinking of establishing
a forest for greenhouse benefits.
The guide also detailed how
to estimate and report the performance of forest
carbon sinks.
“Forests are a great way to
offset greenhouse gas emissions from other sources
such as energy generation,” Senator Campbell said.
“Forests absorb carbon dioxide
from the air and breathe out oxygen, effectively
removing carbon from the air and storing it in
tree biomass. In addition, they generate a range
of other benefits such as providing habitat for
wildlife and helping to reduce and control salinity
levels. It is a ‘win-win’ situation.”
This guide forms part of a series
of publications on planning forest sinks. The
other two publications, A Guide to Legal, Taxation
and Contractual Issues and A Guide to Carbon Pooling
and Investment Structures, help land and forestry
managers navigate the legal, financial, taxation
and organisational issues involved in forest sink
activities.
“Together, these three guides
will help land managers and forest growers develop
carbon sink projects that are good for the atmosphere
and good for the land,” Senator Campbell said.
The Guides were developed as
part of the Australian Government’s $20.5 million
Greenhouse Action in Regional Australia Programme
and demonstrates the Government’s ongoing, strong,
practical action in response to climate change.
Rob Broadfield
