Forestry & Carbon Project Fundamentals
The next generation of forest carbon projects must meet higher standards of credibility and impact. This course prepares practitioners to evaluate forest inventory data, make effective carbon estimates, and design financially and environmentally sound projects.
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Overview
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This course prepares practitioners to assess forest inventory data, translate measurements into conservative carbon estimates, and make effective project design choices.
Learners work through real-world data limitations, baseline construction challenges, leakage and permanence constraints, governance considerations, and basic financial structuring so that they can design and deliver projects grounded in sound assumptions and clearly articulated reasoning.
Key Benefits
- Build defensible forest carbon assessments
- Translate forest data into credible credit estimates
- Apply sound accounting and discounting logic
- Stress-test baseline assumptions and additionality claims
- Communicate project risk clearly and effectively
What’s Included
- Three applied modules spanning ecology, accounting, and project design
- Real-world case studies of project design challenges
- Forest Carbon Feasibility & Risk Memo exercise
- Practitioner insights from project developers, forest carbon technical experts, and local community leaders.
- Guided carbon estimation and discounting exercises
Learners will produce a clear, defensible forest carbon feasibility and risk memo suitable for internal review, investment evaluation, or verification.
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Who this course is designed for:
- Forestry professionals (ecologists, land managers, silviculturists, environmental scientists) who need to translate forest measurements into carbon accounting and project documentation.
- Carbon project practitioners and investors (developers, ESG staff, GHG professionals, GIS specialists) who must understand data quality and biophysical risk.
- Validation & Verification (VVB) professionals reviewing inventory data, accounting assumptions, and documentation.
- Credit buyers, issuers, and financiers assessing whether claims are defensible.
- Government officials responsible for project review or approval.
Outcomes
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Assess forest inventory data for carbon fitness-for-purpose
- Translate forest measurements into strong carbon estimates
- Evaluate baseline credibility, additionality, leakage, and permanence for projects
- Identify early-stage risks that undermine project defensibility
- Build a simple financial model for a project
- Produce and defend a clear go/no-go feasibility recommendation
Practical skills you will develop
This program equips learners with vital skills to thrive in today’s complex workforce. Key skills include:
These skills apply to these careers
Project Management Specialists
Plan and coordinate projects, including environmental and land-based carbon initiatives, ensuring timelines, budgets, and compliance requirements are met.
Financial analyst
Evaluates financial performance of investment portfolios, including those that integrate ESG or conservation impact. Can work in asset management, banking, or development finance.
Sustainability Managers
Plan and direct sustainability strategies, policies, and programs to ensure environmental, social, and governance compliance and performance.
Environmental Scientists and Specialists
Implement sustainability practices—waste, green building, resource management
Natural Sciences Manager
Plans and directs scientific research, including tech integration for environmental programs.
Instructors
PUR
American Forests
Seris Forest Analytics
Arizona State University
Contact information
Have additional questions?
Please reach out directly to Tye Waggoner ([email protected]) for assistance with the programs content.