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Ducks Unlimited Canada and Prairie Habitat Joint Venture
August 30, 2010
1. Background
Conserved and restored wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of Canada and United States represent net greenhouse gas (GHG) sinks. New scientific evidence exists to develop a protocol to quantify net GHG emissions reductions and removals associated with functional prairie wetlands to create real and verifiable offsets.
The Agriculture and Wetlands Greenhouse Gas Initiative (AWGI) from 2002-2009 provides the new innovative carbon research for quantification of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and potential GHG reductions in wetlands. From field studies in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, this research examined the functional linkages between prairie wetlands, riparian areas and their adjacent agricultural fields in terms of carbon sequestration and GHG flux. This research was funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada,
Ducks Unlimited Canada, and Natural Resources Engineering Research Council of
Canada/BIOCAP Strategic Grant.
Developing a Wetland Restoration Protocol now is underway for the Alberta Offsets System. Lead protocol developer and sponsor is Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) with support from the Alberta
NAWMP Partnership (AB NAWMP) and the Prairie Habitat Joint Venture (PHJV). Climate Change
Central is coordinating this protocol development and review. ClimateCHECK is contracted to provide services of technical research and writing.
The protocol development is rigorous and follows the established process for coordinating scientific information and consensus building according to the ISO 14064-2 GHG Project-Based
Standards. The overall process is guided and reviewed by a Technical Working Group, comprising
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Climate Change Central, ClimateCHECK, Ducks
Unlimited Canada, Environment Canada and the Prairie Habitat Joint Venture. For the Wetlands
Restoration Protocol, work initiated in 2008 and is on-going.
2. Objective
The objective is to develop a Wetland Restoration Protocol that meets the criteria of the Alberta
Offset System. The development of a carbon compliance system, allowing emission offsets as a compliance option, is one of several actions outlined by the Alberta Government in Albertans and
Climate Change: Taking Action (October 2002) and in the Climate Change and Emissions
Management Act (2007).
This protocol will be based on the best available science on GHG emission reductions from wetlands management in the Canadian Prairie Pothole Region, including Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. While research exists to support claims regarding the value of conserved wetlands as important carbon sinks, the protocol will focus on project activities or practices to restore drained wetlands. The baseline scenario involves sources, sinks, and reservoirs associated with a drained or degraded wetland.

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The proposed Wetlands Restoration Protocol will be designed to allow project proponents to use complementary protocols to generate GHG reductions and removals in the wetland margin and associated uplands. This includes efforts pertaining to zero-tillage, restoration and preservation of grasslands and riparian areas as well as afforestation in some cases.
3. Expected Outcomes
For wetland restoration, the proposed protocol will comprise both reduction credits of methane and nitrous oxide emissions and removal (or biological sequestration) credits of carbon. Restoring wetlands will also provide public goods of increased biodiversity; protection against flooding and drought; and water quality protection. Development of a protocol will lead to a market-based instrument to entice private landowners to restore wetlands.
For the Wetland Restoration Protocol, the new science foundation and rigour of protocol development for the Alberta Offset System will be an important resource for potential consideration in Climate Change Strategies of other jurisdictions.
4. Approach & Progress to Date
The Wetlands Restoration Protocol is based on the criteria of the ISO 14064-2 standard
( Specification with Guidance at the Project Level for Quantification, Monitoring And Reporting Of
Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions or Removal Enhancements ) the framework for protocols in the Alberta Offsets System.
The relevant scientific information was compiled into three Discussion Documents: Technical
Background Document (2008), Quantification (2010) and Implementation (2010) .
A Science Consultation Workshop with invited experts and stakeholders was held March 17-18,
2010 at Edmonton, Alberta. Working from the Discussion Documents and presentations, workshop participants reviewed and voted on Protocol content on all aspects of implementation and quantification. Details are described in the Progress Report: Results of Consultation Workshop for
Wetlands Conservation & Restoration Protocol (April 30, 2010). . Presentations and the Workshop report, describing the decision votes are public and can be accessed at http://carbonoffsetsolutions.climatechangecentral.com/offset-protocols/alberta-protocoldevelopment-workshops#wetland
Responding to the Science Consultation Workshop, additional work was recently completed and this is now being incorporated into a Technical Seed Document (TSD) to be followed by a
Technical Protocol Plan (TPP) as per the Alberta Protocol Development Process. Details to the
Process are outlined at: http://carbonoffsetsolutions.climatechangecentral.com/offset-protocols/alberta-protocoldevelopment-process
As per Alberta Offset System the TSD and TPP will reflect criteria of additionality; demonstration of surplus to law and market penetration; baseline conditions; permanence; leakage; principle of conservativeness; complete and relevant ‘Sources and Sinks’; consistency; measurement, monitoring and verification requirements; clear established ownership; net benefits; and the estimate reduction potential.

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5. Next Steps in the Alberta Protocol Development Process
In response to the Alberta Offset System 2010 call for draft proposals by October 1, 2010 to
Alberta Environment and Climate Change Central, the following steps are forecast:
Steps 2 to 7 o Submission of TPP and TSD to Government of Alberta for review o Receive feedback from Government of Alberta o Adapt into Alberta Protocol Format (Standardization) o First round of Reviews – Expert Technical Review - With no sustained objections from
Technical Review, submit draft Protocol by October 1
Steps 8 to 11 o Second round of Review – Broader Stakeholder Review – With no sustained objection from
Broader Review move forward o Third round of Review – Posting for Public Review (30 day period) o Finalization of Protocol and review of Public comments by Alberta Environment o Government approval and posting of Protocol
6. Contact Person
Cynthia Edwards
National Manager, Industry & Government Relations
Ducks Unlimited Canada
PO Box 4465, 1030 Winnipeg Street
Regina, SK S4P 3W7
Tel: 306-569-0424
E-mail: c_edwards@ducks.ca