The new HCSA Large-scale Mapping Framework Technical Procedure is now published and freely available to download ici
Mapping High Carbon Stock (HCS) forests is a critical step towards protecting them from deforestation. The initial HCSA mapping procedure was developed to identify and conserve HCS forests in concession-level areas of land owned by single producer companies. The new mapping framework gives guidance to identify HCS forests across different landscape sizes and regions across the world.
Large-scale HCS forest mapping has been conducted in a variety of landscapes globallycovering over 6 million hectares in Mexico, Peru, Ghana, Indonesia and elsewhere and is an essential tool to scale up conservation and No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation (NDPE) commitments beyond the concession scale.
Whether at regional level, or spanning multiple countries, HCS forest classification maps provide the tools to identify forests and target efforts to protect them at a much larger scale, such was the impetus behind creating indicative HCS forest maps of Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines in partnership with HCSA member Barry Callebaut and ETH Zurich. Lessons from all HCSA trials have been brought together into this new HCSA Largescale Mapping Framework and accuracy assessment guidance.
The new Framework gives guidance on the creation of large-scale maps that can be used for a variety of purposes including targeting engagement with smallholders guided by the HCSA smallholder approach, or for engaging with government land management processes at jurisdictional scales or across landscapes spanning multiple jurisdictions.
As part of the HCSA Toolkit requirements, indicative large-scale HCS maps require accuracy improvements and validation before they can be used for land use planning and deforestation monitoring and we are currently supporting a number of different landscape-level trials to inform ongoing development of HCSA Landscape and Jurisdictional Approaches guidance.
This work includes how HCSA and High Conservation Value methodologies can be adopted for use across smallholder-dominated landscapes in Peru. HCSA member the Earthworm Foundation has been working in the Tocache Landscape of Peru to create a sustainable, productive landscape that is home to prosperous companies, communities and ecosystems, which serves as an inspiring model for other regions and actors. Together with National Wildlife Federation they lead a landscape-level indicative High Carbon Stock (HCS) and probability High Conservation Value (HCV) pilot as part of its engagement in the Tocache Landscape.
Maps of potential HCS forests are an important step to promote the application of No Deforestation commitments in sustainable supply chains and landscapes. But it is essential to focus on the most vulnerable link in the value chain; the farmers and their farms. Through our landscape and jurisdictional initiatives and smallholder toolkit, we are working to provide practical, evidence-based guidance to help improve the wellbeing of farming families that can be applied across all landscapes and jurisdictions.
