Best Practices
Forests, parks, agricultural lands and open space serve as “carbon sinks” by storing greenhouse gas emissions that otherwise contribute to climate change.
Open Space & Offsetting Carbon Emissions Goals
- Preserve and enhance forests, parks, street trees, open space and other natural systems that act as carbon “sinks.”
- Promote local sustainable agriculture to reduce carbon emissions associated with food production, processing, and transport.
- Offset carbon emissions through carbon credits or allowances.
The table below offers specific suggestions on how to achieve these goals. You can download the entire Best Practices Framework under Documents & Resources on the right side of this page.
Open Space & Offsetting Carbon Emissions
|
| Goal |
Best Practice |
| Preserve and enhance forests, parks, street trees, open space and other natural systems that act as carbon “sinks.” |
- Inventory existing trees on property owned or managed by the agency and implement a management system to preserve and enhance the existing urban forest.
- Manage parks, open space, recreational facilities, and other natural areas owned or operated by the agency to ensure the long-term health and viability of trees and other vegetation.
- Develop and implement a community-wide urban forestry management and reforestation program to significantly increase the carbon storage potential of trees and other vegetation in the community.
- Steer new development away from open space and agricultural lands that provide natural carbon storage.
- Partner with other agencies and non-profit organizations to protect natural lands in and adjacent to the community through acquisition, conservation easements, or other long-term mechanisms.
- Consider public health benefits of increasing the availability of parks and other recreational opportunities. (www.ca-ilg.org/ClimateWhitepapers)
|
| Promote local sustainable agriculture to reduce carbon emissions associated with food production, processing, and transport. |
- Promote the purchase of local and organic produce through farmers markets and other measures.
- Enact a local food purchase policy for agency food purchases.
- Promote conservation tillage and other agricultural practices to retain carbon fixed in soils.
|
| Offset carbon emissions through carbon credits or allowances. |
- Audit agency-sponsored events and activities to determine greenhouse gas emissions associated with the event/activity.
- Achieve carbon neutrality at agency-sponsored events and activities through conservation, efficiency, alternative transportation, and the purchase of third-party verified emission reductions to offset carbon emissions.
- Achieve carbon neutrality for major agency operations through conservation, efficiency, alternative transportation, and the purchase of third-party verified emission reductions to offset carbon emissions.
- Create incentives for community organizations and residents to reduce their carbon use including the purchase of third-party verified emission reductions.
- Purchase and retire third-party verified emission reductions to offset community-wide carbon emissions.
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