The methodology was developed by The Nature Conservancy and TerraCarbon LLC.

Pocosins are unique freshwater wetlands, often shrub-dominated, on organic soils in the Atlantic coastal plain of the southeastern United States (Virginia to northern Florida) that are seasonally saturated primarily through precipitation. Under typical hydrologic conditions, decomposition of the organic soils is inhibited, allowing for accumulation of organic carbon. However, after drainage occurs (often for conversion to agriculture or forestry) the ability for these wetlands to be a carbon sink is greatly diminished. Pocosin restoration is achieved through water management, bringing hydrology back to more natural conditions. Under re-wetted conditions, greenhouse gas emissions via peat decomposition is slowed and eventually additional carbon is sequestered.

The ACR Methodology for Restoration of Pocosin Wetlands establishes standardized procedures to monitor and account the greenhouse gas benefits associated with restoring drained pocosin habitat.

ACR is an internationally recognized carbon crediting program that operates in global compliance and voluntary carbon markets. A nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, ACR was founded in 1996 as the first private greenhouse gas (GHG) registry in the world with the mission of harnessing the power of markets to improve the environment.

This methodology is applicable to projects in non-REDD+ countries that are conducting afforestation and reforestation (A/R) on lands that are expected to remain degraded or continue to degrade in the absence of the project.

ACR published its Methodology for Afforestation and Reforestation of Degraded Land, v1.0, which represented a modification to a Clean Development Mechanism methodology, with clarifications for project registration on ACR, as well as the addition of harvested wood products accounting. This methodology modification was drafted by TREES Forest Carbon Consulting, using wood products accounting methods drawn from a “Methodology for Improved Forest Management through Extension of Rotation Age” developed by Winrock International for Ecotrust and approved under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) as VM0003. ACR wishes to thank TREES Forest Carbon Consulting for its assistance in making the first modification.

In a second modification, the U.S. Forest Service proposed adding its Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) as an approved tool to estimate carbon stock changes. This modification was reviewed by the ACR AFOLU Technical Committee and is published by ACR as the Methodology for Afforestation and Reforestation of Degraded Land, v 1.1. ACR wishes to thank the U.S. Forest Service for its assistance in making the second modification.

Both methodology modifications were reviewed by an independent ACR Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) Technical Committee and recommended for Approval.

ACR is an internationally recognized carbon crediting program that operates in global compliance and voluntary carbon markets. A nonprofit enterprise of Winrock International, ACR was founded in 1996 as the first private greenhouse gas (GHG) registry in the world with the mission of harnessing the power of markets to improve the environment.