FAQ: To qualify for the accelerated registration of reductions resulting from increases in carbon stocks on lands that have been restored and permanently preserved, does the land first have to be fully restored to its native habitat?

Answer: No, it is only necessary that the activities designed to restore natural species and habitat be initiated, and an administrative action to permanently preserve this land be in place. In some cases, a site will require additional management interventions such as prescribed burning or thinning to restore native species. The entity does not need to wait until the native species are fully established to qualify, only that actions to restore the site be initiated. For example, an entity can qualify for accelerated registration of reductions for converting degraded pasture land to a native forest by planting hardwood trees that are native to the site. Even though the site may not be fully restored to native vegetation for many years, the entity can qualify for accelerated registration once the planting has occurred.

FAQ: Must the administrative action taken to preserve the land be truly permanent, or is a period of 100 years (or similar long term protection) sufficient?

Answer: The land must be permanently protected

FAQ: The guidelines require than entities wishing to qualify for the accelerated protected to report the accelerated carbon gains "during the next reporting cycle." Does this mean that the entity must report these gains in the first reporting cycle after the project is operational or can an entity wait to take advantage of this provision?

Answer: The 50-year period of allowed carbon stock gains on land that has been restored and permanently protected must begin in the year following the initiation of actions to restore and protect the land.  However, entities are not required, under the 1605b program, to report their emissions and reductions data for a given year during the reporting cycle that immediately follows that year.  Participating entities may report emissions and reductions data for any prior year at any time.