Knepp Wildland Carbon Project Overview
Executive Summary:
The Knepp Wildland Carbon Project centers on three core objectives:
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Data Exploration: Investigating the carbon sequestration and storage capacities of 'rewilding habitats' through a review of existing literature and in situ measurements on the Knepp Estate.
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Market Potential: Understanding how 'rewilding habitats' can generate certified carbon credits within the UK's Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM).
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Guidance Development: Creating a practical guide for UK nature restoration projects, focusing on carbon stock quantification, baselining, monitoring, reporting, and verification processes.
Key Findings:
- Carbon Sequestration: Estimated total carbon sequestration rates of 5.20 tCO2e ha-1 yr-1 over approximately 20 years on former arable farmland, with significant below-ground sequestration highlighting the habitat's climate mitigation potential.
- Comparative Analysis: Comparable to woodland creation rates, indicating potential for competitive carbon credit generation.
- Biodiversity Co-Benefits: Likely to offer premium opportunities due to biodiversity outcomes.
Challenges & Opportunities:
- Market Readiness: Uncertainty around monitoring, reporting, and verification protocols hinders major investment in 'rewilding carbon credits'.
- Uncertainty in Sequestration Rates: Remaining uncertainties in sequestration rates limit the marketability of 'rewilding carbon credits'.
- Carbon Pricing: Inadequate carbon pricing within the VCM impedes investment.
- Policy & Scaling Ambition: Policy makers and VCM practitioners should prioritize the integration of process-led nature restoration to enhance biodiversity outcomes and scale up projects.
Evolution of the Project:
Initially aimed at creating a carbon protocol for 'rewilding' projects across the UK, the project evolved to focus on addressing critical data gaps regarding the carbon sequestration potential of habitats emerging from rewilding efforts, using the Knepp Estate as a practical case study.
Methodology & Impact:
The project employed a combination of literature review and in situ measurements to provide a comprehensive understanding of 'rewilding habitats' as a nature-based solution for climate and biodiversity challenges, emphasizing the potential for carbon sequestration and its marketability within the VCM.
