Carbon Cycle Institute has developed a framework for developing your Carbon Farm Plan. Throughout this curriculum, we will be referring back to each section. This guidance is not meant to substitute the NRCS Conservation Planning Process, but help new planners embark on their journey of developing a Carbon Farm Plan.
Before you begin writing a Carbon Farm Plan, it is important to have an understanding of the ecological significance of carbon farming, tools available to build your own toolbox for a successful plan, and the framework for developing a plan. By engaging in this Carbon Farm Planning Curriculum, you are taking the first step to developing your own plan. Pre-Planning involves understanding:
Who is involved in the plan? Planners? Producers? Supporting entities?
What is a Carbon Farm Plan? What is carbon farming?
Why write a Carbon Farm Plan? Why Carbon Farming?
Module 1 of this curriculum will primarily focus on answering these pre-planning questions.
Identify farmer/rancher and schedule introductory meeting
Schedule Milestones/Timeline
Identify and Establish Team Roles
Create a shared folder with planning team
Schedule and conduct land based site visit(s)/assessment
Follow up
Module 2 of this curriculum will provide you with some tools to build your own toolbox to facilitate your pre-planning stage with the producer.
Now that you have completed the Carbon Farm Planning Curriculum and Stage 1 of the planning process, It is time to create your Carbon Farm Plan.
Components/Chapters in a Carbon Farm Plan
What is Carbon Farming and Carbon Farm Planning
Introduction to the Farm/Ranch
Ranch/farm Background
Goals & Objectives
Environmental Conditions
Ecological Sites and Soils
Identification, Mapping & Quantification of Potential/Recommended Carbon Farm Practices
Soil Water Holding Capacity
Summary
Project Implementation Timeline
Monitoring
Module 3 of this curriculum will provide you with guidance on how to begin writing your Carbon Farm Plan.
Final Meeting with Planning team and land owner
Sign completion
On-going Producer dialog
Check your knowledge!
A Carbon Farm Plan is considered a living document because once a plan is developed…
a. It is set in stone for the lifetime of the operation
b. An entirely new plan must be developed if any changes are to be made
c. It is continuously revisited and revised as practices are implemented or new information becomes available
Carbon farming and supporting practices planned for in a carbon farm plan primarily address
a. Any carbon capture opportunities on working lands
b. Practices that only result in monetary gains for the producer
c. Practices that only offer greenhouse gas emission reductions