Foundations for Permanance
Large companies are often regarded as being inherently stable. However, the track record of large-scale forestry plantations in developing countries demonstrates that bigger is not necessarily more secure. Most Plan Vivo projects involve communities that have worked together for generations. As long as activities developed by the Plan Vivo project continue to serve local needs, the foundations for permanent carbon storage will remain strong.
A permanent land-use change
The aim of each Plan Vivo project is to create a permanent land-use change in the project area through a continued process of training and capacity-building. It is part of each farmer's sale agreement that they must will re-plant if trees are felled as part of a rotation system (for example if the system is a woodlot). It is expected that by year 10, once the payments have been made, the trees are fully established and the farmers will be able to see the benefit of the trees.
Good risk management systems ensure permenance.
The Plan Vivo System was developed and tested in pilot projects over a period of 10 years and followed the principle of 'learning by doing'. By working closely with project coordinators but allowing flexibility and encouraging independence, communities can be empowered to take control of their own resources. All Plan Vivo projects are run by a project coordinator (often a local NGO) based in-country who have extensive knowledge of the local area, local traditions, cultural practices and institutions. This set-up is designed to promote further links between individuals and other local organisations in the project area. Projects are encouraged to work in collaboration and with the support of authoriies and governing bodies. Plan Vivo aims to ensure long-term carbon storage through a combination of good management practices and financial incentives:
- Community-led planning of activities, based on local needs and capabilities
- Staged monitoring and payments based on the achievement of set targets
- Tangible additional benefits over and above carbon finance, for example fuelwood from a woodlot, are developed over a long timescale so incentives for project activities remain and good practices become 'embedded'
- Diverse portfolio of areas, activities and multiple species
- Management interventions (fire control, pruning, general advice)
- Continuing work with local organisations to supporting economic viability of forestry and agroforestry systems
- Buffer stocks of carbon maintained to cover risk of losses