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The Mexico Forest Protocol provides standardized guidance for carbon enhancement projects and addresses eligibility, baseline, inventory, permanence, social and environmental safeguards, and measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) requirements.
The protocol went through a piloting phase after the approval of Version 1.0 by the Reserve Board on October 23, 2013. The Reserve worked closely with several identified landowners to ‘road test’ the protocol and develop software to standardize monitoring and reporting activities. This deliberate process was intended to ensure the protocol is as clear and accurate as possible before being released for general use.
| Current Protocol Version(s) Available for Project Submittal | Adoption Date | Notes and Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico Forest Protocol Version 3.0 (English | Spanish) | October 5, 2022 |
**Currently under revision**
Available for project submission
|
Protocol Revision
Current update in progress
The Mexico Forest Protocol is currently undergoing an update to Version 3.1. For more information, please visit the Mexico Forest Protocol development webpage.
Project Listing Documents
The documents below are required during the project listing phase.
| Document | Description | Required Phase | Privilege |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Submittal Form (Spanish) | A proposal to undertake a Mexico forest project. | Project Submittal | Public |
| Aggregate Submittal Form (Spanish) | A proposal from an Aggregator to undertake more than one Mexico Forest Project and submit them under an aggregate. | Aggregate Submittal | Public |
| Aggregate Submittal Extension Request (Spanish) | An optional form used by the Project Developer to request an extension to submit aggregated projects for listing. | Aggregate Submittal | Public |
Project Registration Documents
The documents and tools below are designed to help project developers organize their project data and facilitate verification. Use of the templates provided is optional; however, the documents are required for verification.
| Document | Description | Required Phase | Privilege |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Report Template (Spanish) | Form used by the Project Developer for reporting required information about a forest project. The Project Design Document must be submitted for review by a verifier and approved by the Reserve before the forest project can be registered with the Reserve. | Verification | Public |
| Annual Monitoring Report Template(Spanish) | A report used by the Project Developer stating the project’s estimated annual carbon stocks, attesting that the project is carrying out the intended project activities, and confirming that the project complies with the requirements of the protocol. Required annually. | Verification | Public |
| Project Report Annexes (Spanish) | List of naming conventions for the annexes of the Project Report. The Project Developer should use this document as a guide when uploading the supporting documents to the software. | Verification | Public |
| IFM- Timeline of Management Activities (English | Spanish) | Form used by the Project Developer for reporting management activities for projects with Improved Forest Management Activity Areas under V3.0 of the MFP. This document should be submitted each reporting period with the Project Report or Annual Monitoring Report. | Verification | Public |
| Attestation of No Conflicts (Spanish) | This form attests that there are no lawsuits or claims on the property. | Verification | Public |
| Verification Report Template (Spanish) | Optional form to facilitate the reporting of verification results and confirm that a forest project is in compliance with the requirements of the protocol. The Verification Report must be submitted within 12 months of the end of a reporting period being verified. | Verification | Public |
Protocol Supporting Documents
The documents and tools below are companions to the protocol and must be used for project development and verification oversight.
| Document/Tool | Description | Project/Protocol Version Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment Area Data File (English | Spanish) | The Assessment Area Data File includes default ratio estimators used to calculate carbon estimates based on the Activity Area location and activity. | Version 2.0, Version 3.0 |
| Assessment Area Map: | A map of the Assessment Areas used to determine Activity Area default ratio estimators. | Version 2.0, Version 3.0 |
| Assessment Area Shapefiles: | Shapefiles of the Assessment Areas used to determine Activity Area default ratio estimators. | Version 2.0, Version 3.0 |
| Carbon Monitoring Worksheet (CMW) V3.0 (Spanish) | The Carbon Monitoring Worksheet is the basis for reporting live and dead standing wood carbon information associated with the project baseline and activity, confidence level of the sampled inventory and adjustments for uncertainty in project carbon stocks, and the contribution to the Assurance Fund. It can be used by the Forest Owner and submitted to the Reserve annually. Available only in Spanish. | Version 3.0 |
| Cost Benefit Analysis Tool V3.0 (Spanish) | The Cost Benefit Analysis Tool is provided to facilitate the analysis of the anticipated costs and benefits of a forestry project. The calculation of credits and potential benefits are estimates based on the entered project data and default values, the Reserve does not guarantee they will be the final project values. Available only in Spanish. | Version 3.0 |
| Inventory Form (Spanish) | The Inventory Form is a form that should be used for the development of an inventory. The Form also includes a sampling methodology. | All |
| Maximum Radial Increment Values (Spanish) | Maximum Radial Increment Values by vigor class and ecosystem to be used for the implementation of the V3.0 Errata and Clarification (December 2023). | All |
| Project Implementation Agreement Guidance (English | Spanish) | Guidance for the administrative steps of signing, notarizing and recording the Project Implementation Agreement. | All |
| Restoration Activities Performance Standard Test Tool V3.0 (Spanish) | Required for Restoration Activity Areas to demonstrate compliance with the Performance Standard Test. Available only in Spanish. | Version 3.0 |
| Sequential Sampling Workbook V3.0 (Spanish) | Required for all site visit verifications for Activity Areas that use the field sampling inventory methodology. Available only in Spanish. | Version 3.0 |
Protocol Supporting Documents Applicable to Prior Protocol Versions
| Document/Tool | Description | Project/Protocol Version Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Quantification Guidance (English | Spanish) | Guidance for quantifying a forest project’s onsite carbon stocks, both for purposes of estimating a project’s baseline as well as providing ongoing estimates of onsite project carbon stocks throughout the project life. | Version 1.5 |
| Verification Guidance (English | Spanish) | Guidance required for the verification of GHG emission removals associated with a planned set of activities to increase forest carbon stocks. | Version 1.5 |
| List of Unique Native Habitats (English | Spanish) | Updated in January 2017 | Version 1.5 |
| Guidelines for Aggregating Forest Projects (English | Spanish) | This document provides revised guidelines for aggregating smaller forest projects with the goal of making smaller projects more cost-effective. Updated in January 2017 | Version 1.5 |
| Project Developer Guide (Spanish) | The Project Developer Guide is an optional guide to facilitate the development of forestry projects. | Version 1.5, Version 2.0 |
| Quantification Tools User Manual (English | Spanish) | This User Manual provides guidance for using the quantification tools required for the Mexico Forest Protocol, including: CALCBOSK, i-Tree, GIS, the Carbon Monitoring Worksheet, and Sequential Sampling Worksheet. | Version 1.5, Version 2.0 |
| Verification Body Requirements Memo (September 16, 2019) (English | Spanish) | Requirements for all site visit verifications. | Version 1.5, Version 2.0 |
| Cost Benefit Analysis Tool (Spanish) | The Cost Benefit Analysis Tool is provided to facilitate the analysis of the anticipated costs and benefits of a forestry project. The calculation of credits and potential benefits are estimates based on the entered project data and default values. The Reserve does not guarantee they will be the final project values. | Version 2.0 |
| Forest Land Cover Risk Tool V2.0 (Spanish) | Required for Restoration Activity Areas to demonstrate compliance with the Performance Standard Test. | Version 2.0 |
| Carbon Monitoring Worksheet (CMW) V2.0 (Spanish) | The Carbon Monitoring Worksheet is the basis for reporting live and dead standing wood carbon information associated with the project baseline and activity, confidence level of the sampled inventory and adjustments for uncertainty in project carbon stocks, and the contribution to the Assurance Fund. It can be used by the Forest Owner and submitted to the Reserve annually. Available only in Spanish. | Version 2.0 |
| Species Equation List (Spanish) | The Species Equation List includes all species and their allometric equations included in CALCBOSK, along with the sources for each equation. | Version 2.0 |
Knowledge Hub
- Mexico Forest Protocol Version 3.0 Public Kickoff Webinar (September 23, 2021)
- Regularly Scheduled Engagement Calls with Stakeholders
Please contact the Reserve with questions or comments.