Nariva Wetland restoration and carbon sequestration Lima January 2009

Nariva wetland

FTIR DOWNWIND FTIR UPWIND FTIR DOWNWIND

 contribute to efforts to restore and conserve the Nariva wetlands, part of the Nariva biome, through the recognition of the services it provides as a carbon sink, a biodiverse ecosystem and as a natural buffering system to coastal storms. This will be done through actions designed to restore and conserve about 1300 ha of its associated forest stands and by providing technical assistance in reducing the deforestation rate in the area.

MIRROR AT 200 M

 Component one: Carbon sequestration through afforestation and reforestation of selected areas of the wetland ecosystem.  Component two: Methane / nitrous oxide mitigation asset through restoration of surface hydrology at Nariva.  In addition EMA is developing an avoided deforestation component. The Bank would support this activity with technical assistance.

 Carbon sequestration through afforestation and reforestation of selected areas of the Nariva wetland ecosystem. The afforestation / reforestation (A/R) component of the project aims at promoting carbon sequestration by increasing the carbon stocks of the entire wetland. This will be monitored and certified applying a simplified baseline and monitoring methodology for small scale CDM afforestation and reforestation project activities implemented on wetlands (AR-AMS0003). The methodology is UNFCCC approved and results in high-value CDM LULUCF credits.

 The project will be implemented by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) with the technical assistance of the Trinidad & Tobago Forestry Division and of the Ministry of Agriculture. It will be funded by the Trinidad and Tobago Green Fund (GF) for reforestation and remediation projects.  This restoration will be achieved through AR actions designed to restore and conserve about 1,160 ha (with an eventual goal of 1,300 ha) of its associated forest stands, which are expected to produce around a minimum of 193,952 tCO 2 e in ERs by 2017.

 Methane / nitrous oxide mitigation asset through restoration of surface hydrology at Nariva. This will be achieved through the restoration of the natural drainage regime. A new Water Resources Management Plan has been drafted, including a detailed field monitoring proposal, to bring back water to marsh areas seeking to recapture the hydrologic movement of water through the different interconnected basins that jointly give form to Nariva Swamp.

 The water management plan emphasizes the restoration of the ecosystem, as well as the reduction of GHG emissions. As a result of these actions emission reductions (methane and nitrous oxide) will be caused. The emission reductions will be documented through the use of Infrared spectroscopy, using an already accepted EPA protocol, for the measurement of CH 4 emissions from surface waters.

FTIR MEASUREMENTS ON SEAFRONT SANDBAR WITH US EPA RAM2000 TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION CONSULTANT

RETROFLECTOR MIRROR AT 25 m

COMPOUND Average Upwind Concentration Average Source Contribution Marshes (Kernahan 29 Nov 2007) Average Source Contribution Marshes (Block A Jan ) Carbon Dioxide 243 ppm35 ppm1.27 ppm Methane 1.82 ppm0.16 ppm0.28 ppm Nitrous Oxide 231 ppb6 ppb14.9 ppb Total Hydrocarbons 26.7 ppb11.6 ppb15.2 ppb Carbon Monoxide 32.1 ppb0.4 ppb24.0 ppb

 It is possible, and desirable, to link mitigation activities (carbon asset creation) with adaptation measures (enhance ecosystem resilience to climate disruption)  Science plays a key role in problem identification and in the search for adaptation/mitigation options  Community participation has been fundamental in generation project social viability, a first step to gain political feasibility

 Strong recognition of the importance of strengthening environmental monitoring (more than climate)  Government participation is highly desirable, but implies a different “pace” and additional hurdles  NGOs have played an important catalytic role  Ecosystems do not voice in the political process. The scientific community and NGOs seek to illustrate their importance and create awareness