Permanent Forest Sink Initiative Guidelines
Glossary of Terms
Assigned Amount Unit
The emissions units allocated to Annex 1 countries (see http:/unfcc.int) under the Kyoto Protocol on the basis of their quantified emission target for the first commitment period, 2008-2012. One AAU is equal to one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Basal area
The cross-sectional area (over the bark) at breast height (1.4 metres above the ground) measured in square metres (m2).
Carbon credit
A tradable unit representing the right to emit one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
A naturally occurring gas, which is also a by-product of burning and breakdown of fossil fuels and biomass, land use changes and other industrial processes. It is the principal human-induced greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.
Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e)
The quantity of a given greenhouse gas multiplied by its global warming potential, which equates its global warming impact relative to carbon dioxide. This is the standard unit for comparing the degree of warming that can be caused by emissions of different greenhouse gasses.
Continuous cover forestry
Development of an uneven-aged forest through progressive harvesting of individual trees or small coupes – regulations require that harvesting shall retain a minimum 80% of the pre-harvest basal area on each hectare.
Eligible Forest
A minimum area of one hectare of land with tree crown cover (or equivalent stocking level) of more than 30 percent, with trees with the potential to reach a minimum height of five metres at maturity in situ. A forest may consist either of closed forest formations where trees of various storeys and undergrowth cover a high proportion of the ground or open forest. Young natural stands and all plantations which have yet to reach a crown density of 30 percent or tree height of five metres are included under this definition. So, too, are areas normally forming part of forest that are temporarily unstocked as a result of human interventions, such as harvesting or natural causes, but which are expected to revert to forest.
Eligible forest does not include shelterbelts which are less than 30 metres wide on average or forest which is less than 30 metres wide on average unless contiguous with other eligible forest or horticultural crops.
Exotic forest
An exotic forest is a forest in which the dominant species does not occur naturally in New Zealand.
Forest sink
Eligible forest that is growing or will be growing on Kyoto-compliant land as the result of active establishment.
Forest Sink Area
The land or parts of the land described in Schedule 2 of the Forest Sink Covenant.
Geographic information system (GIS)
A computer system designed to allow users to collect, manage and analyse large volumes of spatially referenced information and associated attribute data.
Geospatial
Term used to describe the combination of spatial software (that is GIS software) and analytical methods with geographic data sets (GIS data).
Indigenous Forest
A forest that comprises tree species known to be natural to New Zealand. Strict definitions may relate to the original method of forest establishment (and the direct involvement of people in the process), the mixture of flora and fauna, and the conditions believed to have been present prior to human intervention.
Kyoto Protocol
A protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that includes emissions limitation or reduction commitments for ratifying countries listed in its Annex B (developed countries and Economies in Transition)
(see http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.html for further information).
Kyoto-compliant land
Any land not covered by eligible forest as at 31 December 1989.
Landholding
For land subject to a forest sink covenant as defined in section 67X of the Forests Act 1949 means:
Freehold estate on the land; or
Leasehold estate in the land; or
Interest in that land that entitles a person to receive units or the value of units based on carbon sequestration by that forest sink; but does not include a registered interest by way of charge or security.
Landowner
Means the registered owner or owners from time to time of the freehold estate in the land.
New Zealand Emissions Unit Register (NZEUR)
See http://www.nzeur.govt.nz/ .
New Zealand Unit (NZU)
A carbon unit specific to the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme.
Orthographically corrected aerial photograph
An aerial photograph that has had all the distortions due to camera tilt and surface relief removed. An orthophotograph has the advantages of a photograph in that all the visible features are displayed. It also has the constant scale and accuracy of a map.
Shapefile
A digital file format particular to software products from the Environmental Research Systems Institute (ESRI) and used within a GIS to geographically describe points, lines and polygons, as well as associated attribute information.
Contact for Enquiries
Permanent Forest Sink Initiative
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington 6140
Or call us on 0800 CLIMATE (254 628)
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