SCS Global Services Report

Audit Results: Monitoring and

Measurement of Carbon Emission
Reduction Outcomes at PT Narkata Rimba

Client:
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)

Prepared By:
Todd Frank and Thesis Budiarto

Date:
26 March 2018

Mayapada Tower 11th FI. JI. Jend Sudirman Kav 28.

Jakarta 12920, Indonesia
tel +62 (021) 5289-7466
fax +62 (021) 5795 7399
www.SCSglobalServices.com

SCSglobalservices.com
Introduction
Dates of Field Work
Travel days – February 25th - 26th and March 2nd-3rd, 2018
Field days – February 27th – March 1st, 2018
Location
PT. Narkata Rimba, Wahau, East Kalimantan

Team
For SCS
Todd Frank – Field auditor and leader of sub-team 1
Thesis Budiarto – Field auditor and leader of sub-team 2
For The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Delon Marthinus - Assisted in GPS locations and all data collection and provided interpretation of the
protocol.
Field technicians
Rudy Lamma, Budi, Ende, Ivan, Pak Stefanus– Assisted in finding counting skid trail damage, finding
stumps and tops, all measurements and GPS locations.

Project Description
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has invested in the development and testing of a suite of science-based
tools that can be used to measure and monitor the carbon emission reduction impact of Reduced Impact
Logging practices, rapidly and at low cost. These tools include:

• An overarching Methodology outlining a science-based approach to calculating emissions

reductions attributable to changes in felling, skidding, and hauling practices, as compared to
conventional forest management practices.
• A complementary Module for calculating emissions reductions, based upon a set of scientifically-
derived impact parameters, calibrated specifically to East Kalimantan, Indonesia.
• A RIL-C Field Audit Protocol specifying the preparation, process and equipment needed to carry
out an audit of carbon emissions reduction impacts from RIL felling, skidding and hauling practices.

In partnership with several concessions in East Kalimantan that has been FSC certified, TNC has
implemented RIL-C practices and measuring carbon emissions from harvesting operations. To ensure the
measurement and calculation of carbon emission is conducted objectively, the presence of third party
independent is required to guarantee the implementation of RIL-C practices is in accordance with RIL
guidelines to achieve the reduction of carbon emission from harvesting operations. SCS Global Services
was selected as a third party independent to carry out field work at PT Narkata Rimba to collect
measurement data and determined the reduction of carbon emission from harvesting operations as
specified in the VCS protocol and RIL-C Field Audit Protocol.

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Monitoring RIL-C impact parameters involves delineating haul roads, accessing the harvest block,
sampling haul road widths, sampling and mapping skid trails, sampling skid trails for damaged trees, and
sampling felled trees accessed by skid trails for impacts caused by tree felling. A summary of required
sampling intensity is given in Table below.

IP Name IP Measurement Sample Size Requirement

FELL 1 Average % abandoned felled trees ≥200 felled trees.
FELL 2 Average % felled log length left (excluding Subset of the ≥200 trees sampled for Fell 1
abandoned logs) that are not abandoned.
SKID: (Skiddens) Average m length skid trail per ha GPS tracks of ≥5.0 km skid trail length.
SKID: (Skiddam) Average # trees ≥20 cm dbh killed per m Tally of all trees ≥20 cm DBH killed along
skid trail. ≥5.0 km skid trail length.
HAUL Haul road corridor area (includes log yards) Haul road length: GPS tracks of centerline of
all haul road corridors within an annual
cutting block.
Haul road corridor width: 30 width
measurements or interval 50m.
Alternatively, remote sensing data can be
used to directly map haul road corridor area
within annual cutting block.

SCS Objectives
Assessment of 6 compartments (petak) that have implemented specific RIL-C practices. Assessment
activities include:
a. Implementation of the monitoring system using RIL-C VCS methodology (VMD0047)
Performance Method For Reduced Impact Logging in East and North Kalimantan
b. Data Collection & Analysis: Field measurement data and observations are collected and
recorded. Data will then be inputted into the Calculation Module to estimate emissions for
each petak.

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 Figure 1. Map of selected compartments for RIL-C implementation

Summary of Field Work

The audit team is divided into 2 sub-teams with each team led by a lead auditor and assisted by 3 field
technicians in collecting all measurement data. The selection of compartments is drawn randomly by the
audit team prior to the start of field work. To obtain each parameter target such as Fell1, Fell2, SKID and
HAUL, the audit team was given half of the total target.

In the three days of field work, team 1 collected measurement data in compartment 2416 whilst team 2
collected measurement data in compartment 2401, 2402, 2415, 2416 and 2417 following the 2015
Protocol with advice on interpretation from staff of TNC. Team 2 has to visit more compartments due to
the lack of FELL2 parameter target in compartment 2401 and 2402 in the first day. As most of the area
has a steep terrain, most of the trees slide down the hill after it was felled by the chainsaw operator and

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it has to be pulled up by the tractor winch prior to the trimming and bucking so the distance between
stump and butt log cannot be estimated.
The data collected included:
- GPS locations for the start and end of skid trails;
- The number of damaged trees with dbh > 20 cm along measured lengths of skid trails;
- The heights of stumps, the lengths of butt pieces, the lengths of logs removed, and the length of
the residual top up to the first branch where residual pieces of trees could be located;
- GPS locations of stumps;
- The number of hollow trees felled and left on site;
- The number of abandoned, not hollow, logs left on site;
- The width of main haul roads;
- The number of log landings along main haul roads.

To support data collection as above mentioned, each audit team is equipped:

- A range finder
- 1 GPS unit
- A 50-meter tape
- Rite in the Rain field note book

For the measurement of damaged trees with dbh > 20 cm along measured lengths of skid trails, each audit
team use a 50-meter tape (by measuring half of tree circumference) for the first ten tree for a calibration
then use ocular estimation to speed up the process as time and weather were a constraint in this project.

In total there were 238 trees sample collected by the audit team and 22 trees sample were abandoned
which is 9.2 % of the total samples. The first day, team 1 recorded there were 89 damaged trees with dbh
> 20 cm along 1,278 meters skid trails whilst team 2 recorded there were 111 damaged trees with dbh >
20 cm along 3,431 meters skid trails. On the second day, team 1 recorded there were 19 damaged trees
with dbh >20 cm along 385 meters skid trails whilst team 2 recorded there were 144 damaged trees with
dbh > 20 cm along 2,337 meters skid trails. Apparently, the length of skid trails does not have a strong
correlation with the increasing number of damaged trees with dbh > 20 cm. During data collection on skid
trails, team 2 encountered some skid trails were not planned to be opened by comparing the realization
of skid trail map PT. Narkata Rimba and GPS tracking during the field work. For example, one skid trail was
opened for 20 meters length and another was for 500 meters length. In total,
there were 363 damaged trees with dbh > 20 cm along 7,431 meters skid trails. On the last day of the field
work, the audit team measured the hauling road where total hauling road measured was 5,933 meters
with an average width of 27.12 meters with an interval of 50 meters of a total area of 514.3 ha from 2
compartments. During the measurement of the hauling road, the audit team encountered 6 log landings
from 2 compartments.

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 Figure 2. Team briefing prior to the start of field work

Results

a. Emissions (reduction) from trees felled and abandoned. FELL1

Felling Impact Parameter 1 (FELL1) is the average percent of abandoned felled trees in relation to (all)
felled trees. The baseline for FELL1 is set at 25.1%. In order to achieve lower proportions of abandoned
felled trees, concession managers need to take actions such as convincing the chainsaw operators to do
a vertical insertion of the chainsaw bar (plunge test) and to improve the felling techniques to avoid
splitting of logs and downhill sliding of logs.

Reductions in the FELL1 impact parameter below the crediting benchmark results in avoided CO 2
emissions, it is calculated using the following equations:

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ERFELL1-AGC = (FELL1B - FELL1M) * (FTB + CDB) * R * FAGB (1)
ERFELL1-BGB = (FELL1B - FELL1M) * (FTB + CDB) * R * FBGB (2)
Where:
ERFELL1-AGB Emissions reductions from aboveground carbon due to reductions in FELL1 below crediting baseline (t CO2-
e/ha) within the annual harvest area.
ERFELL1-BGB Emissions reductions from belowground tree carbon due to reductions in FELL1 below crediting baseline (t
CO2-e/ha) within the annual harvest area.
FELL1M Measured felling impact parameter 1 (%)
FELL1B Baseline felling impact parameter 1 (%)
FTB Felled tree biomass carbon (t C/ha) = 23.23 default value.
CDB Collateral damage biomass carbon (t C/ha) = 8.55 default value
R Ratio of CO2 to C molecular weight = 44/12 = 3.67
FAGB Fraction of total tree biomass carbon that is above ground = 0.81
FBGB Fraction of total tree biomass carbon that is belowground = 0.19

The audit team has collected and recorded 238 felled trees in total and 22 trees sample were
abandoned due natural defect such as hollowed which is 9.2 % of the total samples.

ERFELL1-AGB = (25.1 – 9.2)% * (23.23 + 8.55) * 44/12 * 0.81

= 15 tCO2-e/ha

ERFELL1-BGB = (25.1 – 9.2)% * (23.23 + 8.55) * 44/12 * 0.19

= 3.5 tCO2-e/ha

ERFELL1 = 18.5 tCO2-e/ha

Total ERFELL1 = 7,338 tCO2-e

Emissions from FELL1 in all compartments observed were lower than the baseline, this indicates that the
chainsaw operators have good abilities to make sure that the felled trees will be skidded, how to identify
the hollowed trees is the most significant one that reduce carbon emission from this impact parameter.

b. Emissions (reduction) from Harvested Log Length Left. FELL 2

Felling impact parameter 2 (FELL2) is the average percentage of harvested tree log length left in the forest.
In other words, FELL1 covers all felled trees that have no log removed, while FELL2 covers all the other
felled trees that have some portion of the log removed. The baseline for FELL2 is set at 18.8%. In order to
reduce the proportion of harvest tree logs left in the forest, the chainsaw operators have to have good
ability in felling and bucking methods to maximize utilization.

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Reductions in the FELL2 impact parameter below the crediting benchmark results in avoided CO 2
emissions, it is calculated using the following equations:

ERFELL2-AGB = (FELL2B - FELL2M) * FLB * R * FAGB (3)

ERFELL2-BGB = (FELL2B - FELL2M) * FLB * R * FBGB (4)
Where:
ERFELL2-AGB Emissions reductions from aboveground carbon due to reductions in FELL2 below crediting baseline (t CO2-
e/ha of annual harvest area)
ERFELL2-BGB Emissions reductions from belowground tree biomass due to reductions in FELL2 below crediting baseline (t
CO2-e/ha of annual harvest area)
FELL2B Baseline felling impact parameter 2 = average percent log length left in forest (excluding trees with no log
section removed).
FELL2M Measured felling impact parameter 2 = average percent log length left in forest (excluding felled trees with
no log section removed).
FLB Mean felled tree log biomass carbon (t C/ha, excluding trees with no log section removed) = 9.85 (t C/ha)
R Ratio of CO2 to C molecular weight = 44/12 = 3.67
FAGB Fraction of total tree biomass carbon that is above ground = 0.81
FBGB Fraction of total tree biomass carbon that is belowground = 0.19

The audit team has collected and recorded 238 felled trees in total. Total length of those trees were
5,398.77 meters whilst there were 826.57 meters left in the forest floor or about 15%.

ERFELL2-AGB = (18.8 – 15)% * 9.85 * 44/12 * 0.81

= 1.02 tCO2-e/ha

ERFELL2-BGB = (18.8 – 15)% * 9.85 * 44/12 * 0.19

= 0.24 tCO2-e/ha

ERFELL2 = 1.26 tCO2-e/ha

Total ERFELL2 = 500.61 tCO2-e

Emission from FELL2 impact is considerably lower than the baseline as this demonstrate that the chainsaw
operator has understood the optimum use of wood utlization in accordance with FSC requirements and
as one of the best management practices of high grading.

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 c. Emissions(reduction) from skidding process. SKID
The skidding impact parameter (SKID) is the number of trees greater than 20.0 cm DBH destroyed by
skidding operations per ha. This parameter combines two variables influencing the impact of skidding: 1)
The density of skid trails (length per ha); and 2) The impact per unit length of skid trails. The baseline for
SKID was set at 19.0, representing the grand mean value across concession sampled by Griscom et. al.
(2014). In order to reduce SKID damage, concession managers will need to take actions (or further improve
existing actions) to plan and mark skid trails prior to entry of skidding equipment. The use of reduced
impact skidding technology was absent in most concessions or under very limited use in FSC-certified
concessions measured by Griscom et al. 2014, it offers the greatest opportunities for avoided emissions.

ERSKID-AGC = (SKIDB - SKIDM) * SEC * R * FAGB (5)

ERSKID-BGB = (SKIDB - SKIDM) * SEC * R * FBGB (6)
Where:
ERSKID-AGC Emissions reductions from aboveground carbon due to reductions in SKID below crediting baseline (t CO2-
e/ha of annual harvest area)
ERSKID-BGB Emissions reductions from belowground biomass (due to reductions in SKID below crediting baseline (t CO2-
e/ha of annual harvest area)
SKIDB Baseline value for skidding impact parameter - mean number of trees > 20 cm DBH destroyed per ha
(trees/ha) = 19.0
SKIDM Measured value for skidding impact parameter - the mean number of trees > 20 cm DBH destroyed by
skidding per ha (trees/ha)
SEC Skidding Carbon Emissions Coefficient = 0.5249.
R Ratio of CO2 to C molecular weight = 44/12 = 3.67
FAGB Fraction of total tree biomass carbon that is above ground = 0.81
FBGB Fraction of total tree biomass carbon that is belowground = 0.19

In total, the audit team has recorded sample of 363 damaged trees DBH > 20 cm along measured skid
trails with a total length of 7,431 m. The skid trails density in all compartments measured is 28,817 m /
397 ha = 72.5 m/ha.
The average number of trees > 20 cm DBH damaged per m skid trail = 363 trees/7,431 m = 0.04 trees/m.
Average number of trees > 20 cm DBH destroyed by skidding per ha = 72.5 m/ha * 0.04 trees/m = 3.54
trees/ha.

ERSKID-AGC = (19 – 3.54) * 0.5249 * 44/12 * 0.81

= 24.09 tCO2-e/ha

ERSKID-BGB = (19 – 3.54) * 0.5249 * 44/12 * 0.19

= 5.65 tCO2-e/ha

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ERSKID = 29.75 tCO2-e/ha

Total ERSKID = 11,815.53 tCO2-e

Emission from this parameter impact is considerably low compare to the baseline as the FME has laid
out skid trails planning in the harvesting map of each compartment then carried out skid trails marking
on the ground as a guidance for tractor operator in opening the skid trails based on the harvesting map.
This proper planning has reduced carbon emission from opening skid trails compare to conventional
logging and this is also in accordance with FSC P&C requirements.

d. Emissions (reduction) from Hauling road construction. HAUL

The hauling impact parameter (HAUL) is the area, in square meters per ha of annual cutting block (m2 ha-
1), of haul road and log landing (or yard) corridors. These corridors include both the active road and
landing surfaces (bare earth) as well as the swath of forests on either side of active use surfaces that are
cleared of trees for the purposes of “daylighting” (to speed drying of active road surfaces). Log landings
(or yards) are located alongside haul roads and represent widened sections of the haul road corridor.
Including log landings as part of the haul road corridor (as done for HAUL) increases mean haul road
corridor width by about 10%. Haul road and log landing corridor widths are defined as the distance
between the nearest tree trunks (>10 cm DBH) perpendicular to any given point along the haul road
centerline.

The baseline for HAUL was set at 323.3 m2 ha-1 and road construction with improved practices such as
gravel surfaces on steep sections, convex road surface, frequent culverts are functional with narrower
corridors for daylighting. Landings can be virtually eliminated by using the margins of existing road
corridors for log landings. Active road surfaces are 5-10 meters in width, so there is considerable
opportunity for reducing the width of the total haul road and log landing corridor, and thus considerable
opportunity for reducing overall haul road corridor area.

The equations for calculating haul road and log landing corridor emissions are as follows:

ERHAUL-AGC = (HAULB - HAULM) * 0.0001 * FB * R * FAGB (7)

ERHAUL-BGB = (HAULB - HAULM) * 0.0001 * FB * R * FBGB (8)

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Where:
ERHAUL-AGC Emissions reductions from aboveground carbon due to reductions in HAUL below crediting baseline (t CO2-
e/ha of annual harvest area)
ERHAUL-BGB Emissions reductions from belowground tree biomass due to reductions in HAUL below crediting baseline (t
CO2-e/ha of annual harvest area)
HAULM Measured value for hauling impact parameter, area of haul road and log landing corridors (m2 per ha of
cutting block, or m2 ha-1)
HAULB Baseline value for Hauling impact parameter = 323.3 (m2 ha-1)
FB Conservative estimate of forest biomass carbon prior to haul road clearing, minus roundwood extracted =
232.7 (t C/ha)
R Ratio of CO2 to C molecular weight = 44/12 = 3.67
FAGB Fraction of total tree biomass carbon that is above ground = 0.81
FBGB Fraction of total tree biomass carbon that is belowground = 0.19

Note that the coefficient 0.0001 in the equations 7 and 8 above represent the conversion from m 2 to
hectares. Total length of hauling road in compartments 2416 and 2402 is 5,933 m. The auditor has
measured the width of hauling road and log landing (TPn) with interval 50 m, the average measurements
of haul roads and TPn is about 27.2 m thus it makes an area of haul corridor is about (27.2 m * 5,933 m)/
514.3 ha equals to 313.7 m2/ha.

ERHAUL-AGC = (323.3 – 313.7) * 0.0001 * 232.7 * 44/12 * 0.81

= 0.66 tCO2-e/ha

ERHAUL-BGB = (323.3 – 313.7) * 0.0001 * 232.7 * 44/12 * 0.19

= 0.15 tCO2-e/ha

ERHAUL = 0.81 tCO2-e/ha

Total ERHAUL = 419.81 tCO2-e

The result of the calculation is still below the baseline but compare to other impact parameter, this the
biggest emission compares to other 3 impact parameters. During field measurement of temporary log
landing (TPn) and haul road, the average road width is just around 27.2 m but through field observation
there was one log landing (TPn) in compartment 2416 has a really wide open and located in the riparian
Teleng River of a width of more than 50 m. The riparian should be protected or if it’s inevitable forest
manager need to minimize the opening of log landing despite limited space to due to steep terrain.

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 Total Combined emission reduction
Total or combined emissions reduction from logging practices from 6 compartments implement RIL-C
practices is the following;

RILC = ERFELL1 + ERFELL2 + ERSKID + ERHAUL

RILC = 18.5 tCO2-e/ha + 1.26 tCO2-e/ha + 29.75 tCO2-e/ha + 0,81 tCO2-e/ha

RILC = 50,32 tCO2-e/ha

Comparison of emission from Baseline and logging practices

120.00 100%
HAUL SKID FELL2 FELL1 2%

90%
100.00
80%

80.00 70% 59%

Emission t CO2-e/ha

50%
60%
60.00 50%

40%
3%
40.00
30%

20.00 20% 37%

10%
-
0%
Baseline tCO2/ha RIL Compartment
per ha
tCO2/ha
Logging Practices type FELL1 FELL2 SKID HAUL

In general, overall carbon emission from harvesting operations at PT Narkata Rimba at six (6)
compartments are 50% lower than the baseline which is expected once a Forest Management Enterprise
(FME) implements RIL-C. The biggest contribution of emission reduction is from SKID impact parameter
where this has reduced 59% from the baseline. Well-developed planning by considering all aspect of skid
trail opening is a key element to achieve the emission reduction of this impact parameter. However,
through field observation such as in compartment 2416 there are number of skid trails opened during the
operation and skid trails were not laid out in the harvesting map. The length of skid trails varies from 20
meters to 500 meters. There is an opportunity for improvement in achieving higher number of reduction
by planning and open the skid trails accordingly then map it out properly in the harvesting plan map. The
second biggest contribution of emission reduction is from FELL1 impact parameter which is 37%.

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Chainsaw operators at PT Narkata Rimba has demonstrated a good understanding in implementing RIL-C
practices by carrying out a plunge test consistently prior to the felling to ensure the tree is not classified
as hollowed trees. Other impact parameter such as FELL2 and HAUL has contributed the emission
reduction subsequently by 3% and 2 %. A detail figure of carbon emission reduction and baseline of each
impact parameter is described below.

Table 1. Overall emission calculation

ITEM Emissions emission reduction
(tCO2-e/ha) tCO2
Baseline RIL-C Per ha Total
tCO2/ha Compartment
tCO2/ha
FELL1 29.25 10.77 18.48 7,338.99
FELL2 6.79 5.53 1.26 500.61
SKID 36.57 6.82 29.75 11,815.53
HAUL 27.59 26.77 0.82 419.81
TOTAL 100.19 49.89 50.30 20,074.94

Recommendation

a. Using a range finder for several data collection would speed-up the audit process compares to
manual measurement tape, range finder is very handy particular in steep areas.
b. The selection of field technician in collecting the data would also determine the speed of the audit,
in this case appointing the block inspector who is responsible in monitoring the selected
compartment would also speed-up data collection during field work.

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