Isometric has launched a public consultation on a new protocol for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) achieved through improved forest management (IFM), looking for feedback by October 17, 2025.
This is Isometric’s second protocol focused on nature-based CDR, following the publication of a Reforestation Protocol released towards the end of 2024.
Put together as a collaborative effort between Isometric’s in-house science team and reviewers from its independent Science Network, the protocol has been shaped with extensive feedback from CDR supplier Renoster, who is set to be the first company to issue credits under this protocol once it is certified.
With this IFM Protocol, Isometric aims to provide science-backed requirements and procedures for removing atmospheric CO2 emissions through improved forest management practices.
Unlike reforestation, which refers to deploying new projects to revitalize degraded land, improved forest management encompasses activities that improve the CO2 storage capacity in existing forests.
These practices include activities like selective or deferred harvesting, boosting faster tree growth, and strategic fire and pest management.
The benefits of IFM can extend beyond just CDR, supporting biodiversity conservation and protection of rare and endangered species and fortifying the forest ecosystem against challenges brought by climate change.
Such activities can also improve the livelihoods of local communities, creating sustainable employment opportunities and enabling access to timber and non-timber forest products.
Relevant: Carbon Direct Calls For Scaling Forest Carbon Measurement With AI And Remote Sensing
To achieve accurate CDR accounting under the Isometric IFM Protocol, users will need to employ scientifically rigorous monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) that combines advanced remote sensing technology like Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) with comprehensive field monitoring.
Additionally, projects will need to establish dynamic baselines by comparing forests with similar ones in the same region, accounting for forest type, management history, and site conditions.
The protocol prohibits commercial plantations and monoculture forests, requiring the use of native species only.
Along with this IFM Protocol, Isometric has also launched a public consultation on a draft module for Deferred Harvest on Smallholder Lands (DHSL), kicking off a series of planned modules covering different IFM approaches.
