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The Science and Policy of the Verified Carbon Standard Methodology for Tidal Wetland and Seagrass Restoration

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Abstract

The restoration of tidal wetland and seagrass systems has the potential for significant greenhouse gas benefits, but project-level accounting procedures have not been available at an international scale. In this paper, we describe the Verified Carbon Standard Methodology for Tidal Wetland and Seagrass Restoration, which provides greenhouse gas accounting procedures for marsh, mangrove, tidal forested wetland, and seagrasses systems across a diversity of geomorphic conditions and restoration techniques. We discuss and critique the essential science and policy elements of the methodology and underlying knowledge gaps. We developed a method for estimating mineral-protected (recalcitrant) allochthonous carbon in tidal wetland systems using field-collected soils data and literature-derived default values of the recalcitrant carbon that accompanies mineral deposition. We provided default values for methane emissions from polyhaline soils but did not provide default values for freshwater, oligohaline, and mesohaline soils due to high variability of emissions in these systems. Additional topics covered are soil carbon sequestration default values, soil carbon fate following erosion, avoided losses in organic and mineral soils, nitrous oxide emissions, soil profile sampling methods, sample size, prescribed fire, additionality, and leakage. Knowledge gaps that limit the application of the methodology include the estimation of CH4 emissions from fresh and brackish tidal wetlands, lack of validation of our approach for the estimation of recalcitrant allochthonous carbon, understanding of carbon oxidation rates following drainage of mineral tidal wetland soils, estimation of the effects of prescribed fire on soil carbon stocks, and the analysis of additionality for projects outside of the USA.

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Acknowledgements

The development of this methodology was led by Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE) with support from the National Estuarine Research Reserve System Science Collaborative program, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Habitat Conservation, the Ocean Foundation, the Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation, KBR, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Power Plant Research Program. We thank Environmental Services, Inc., DNV GL Climate Change Services, and Meagan Gonneea for their valuable criticisms and insights during the methodology validation and review process. As the lead methodology developer, RAE will receive a methodology compensation rebate for each verified carbon unit issued to a project applying VM0033 Tidal Wetland and Seagrass Restoration Methodology. RAE is contracted to return a portion of that rebate to Drs. Crooks and Emmer. VM0033 has been approved by the VCS, and this article may advance its use.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, 1213 HJ Patterson Hall, College Park, MD, 20742, USA

    Brian A. Needelman

  2. Silvestrum, Dorpsstraat 4, 1546 LJ, Jisp, Netherlands

    Igino M. Emmer

  3. Restore America’s Estuaries, Arlington, VA, 22201, USA

    Stephen Emmett-Mattox

  4. Silvestrum Climate Associates, LLC, 150 Seminary Drive, Mill Valley, CA, 94941, USA

    Stephen Crooks

  5. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, 21037, USA

    J. Patrick Megonigal

  6. Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Annapolis, MD, 21403, USA

    Doug Myers

  7. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA

    Matthew P. J. Oreska & Karen McGlathery

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  1. Brian A. Needelman
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Correspondence to Brian A. Needelman.

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Needelman, B.A., Emmer, I.M., Emmett-Mattox, S. et al. The Science and Policy of the Verified Carbon Standard Methodology for Tidal Wetland and Seagrass Restoration. Estuaries and Coasts 41, 2159–2171 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-018-0429-0

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