Community-Based Monitoring
Carbon Tanzania believes that communities should be trained and equipped to carry out measurement of carbon stocks and monitoring of land conversion at a local level using easy to implement and cost effective techniques that produce valid results. Carbon Tanzania engages communities in a participatory monitoring process from which they gain experiential knowledge and technical skills as well as a genuine sense of ownership over the project's success.
Carbon Tanzania has partnered with communities to measure and monitor carbon stocks using the Winrock aboveground biomass (AGB) methodology. This approach, in line with the IPCC Good Practice Guidance
for Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry, utilizes community-based monitoring techniques that result in sound and rigorous data while promoting community involvement and minimizing transaction costs.
Participants from the Mongo Wa Mono and Domanga avoided deforestation project surveyed 70 randomly generated plots noting the tree species and diameter at breast height (dbh). Species and genus specific allometric equations were used to calculate the tonnes of carbon per hectare in these plots. This sample was statistically analyzed to estimate the carbon content in the project area as a whole. These plots will be re-sampled every two years to assess the change in carbon content over time.
In addition to monitoring carbon, indicators related to environmental and social impacts have been developed with the community and a local reporting system is in place. Participatory approaches were again favored so as to help clarify the linkages between carbon sequestration, habitat health and livelihood benefits.
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