Activity · Climate Standard Methodologies on the PEFC program

Protection of natural regeneration

PEFC 12.10.1.6

Protect young plants from browsing by roe deer and deer until they grow enough: the biomass established thanks to protection becomes credits.

What it is and what it does

Without protection, natural regeneration is burned and the forest does not regenerate. What do you do:

  1. 01Fencing off regeneration areas
  2. 02Place individual protections on seedlings
  3. 03Maintain protections and at the end of the cycle remove them and start them for recovery

Who can do it

In addition to the common requirements for all forestry activities (PEFC forest management certification, management plan, georeferenced boundaries: see requirements):

  1. 01Regeneration: natural, ongoing or expected, of local species.
  2. 02Protections: installed at the start and kept efficient throughout the duration.
  3. 03Program: for maintenance and removal of materials at the end of the cycle.
  4. 04Economic additionality: without the credits, the activity costs must not be covered by revenues or public contributions. A deficit of even €1 is sufficient. This is demonstrated by the cost and contribution account for the entire duration, which the certification body checks.

For how many years

ItemValue
Activity period10 years, without renewals
Monitoring after completion10 years
Minimum commitment20 years, including checks

What is measured and how often

What is measured: Carbon in wood and roots, measured on the same permanent sampling areas, with the same numbered and re-measured plants every year.
How often is it certified: annually: field surveys, certification body inspection, and credits for the period.

Putting numbers to the credits

With European rules, from measured tonnes to credits, here is how:

  1. 01Measured tonnes: the carbon from only protected regeneration; adult trees and seed trees do not count.
  2. 02− Measurement uncertainty: at least 8%.
  3. 03− Activity emissions: fuel for construction sites, transport, eventual fertilization.
  4. 04− Collective reserve: depends on the risk of fires, storms, and pests in the area.
  5. 05= Credits: one per ton of CO2 equivalent, each with its code.
  • Credits are valid until the end of maintenance obligations: the date is written in the certificate and in the register.
  • Market reference: approximately 25-35 € per ton, the value of forest credits from the French Bas-Carbone Label (I4CE, January 2026).

Benefits for nature

A natural regeneration that establishes ensures the future of the forest and its species diversity. Every project must bring a benefit to biodiversity, for example, protected natural regeneration.

Typical errors and what it is not

Typical errors:
  1. 01Expect high volumes: a young plant weighs little. On small areas, costs can exceed the value of the credits: the management group is more convenient.
  2. 02Not knowing that control areas can be used: they are optional and make the proof stronger; with control areas, credits are calculated on the difference between protected and non-protected areas.
What it is not:
  1. 01It is not just a fence: it must be maintained for the entire duration and removed at the end of the cycle.
  2. 02It does not exclude public contributions: they are declared and entered into the economic comparison.

Relationship with PEFC Italia

As of today, there are no economic or other relationships between the two companies. Climate Standard has acquired the standard developed by PEFC Italia and is publicly available.

PEFC Italia establishes through the standard what can be certified and under what conditions. Climate Standard establishes how it is measured, calculated, and recorded, adhering to the provisions of PEFC Italia.

Climate Standard does not modify the parameters of the schemes established by PEFC Italia — eligible activities, risk rates, baseline assumptions: it applies and documents the application.

Climate Standard commits to communicating every operation based on the Standard to PEFC Italia (Section 14.6) and may request verification of Climate Standard's operations and project documentation at any time.

Documents

CS-PEFC-GEN-001Common requirements for forestry activitiesv1.5
CS-PEFC-MET-001The five forestry methodologiesv1.6
Models and tools for designersYou will be given after the first assessment.

How much it costs

No commission on the sale of credits. You will receive a written quote before departure. For a few hectares, it is advisable to join a management group.

See the costs

Other activities

  1. 01From coppice to high forest: Stop harvesting the coppice at the end of the rotation period and start it as high forest. Commitment: 30 years.↗
  2. 02Lengthening the rotation period: Postpone the maturity harvest set out in the management plan; the wood is harvested later. Commitment: up to 30 years.↗
  3. 03Partial waiver of cutting: leaving standing a part of the forest intended for cutting, of at least half a hectare. Commitment: up to 30 years.↗
  4. 04Reforestation: replanting a forest lost due to fires, windthrow or storm damage, landslides, or pests. Commitment: 30 years.↗
Do you have a field or want to plant a new forest? Discover CRCF activitiesDo you have different projects? Write to us

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