Anew - Buckeye State Forestry Project

Audit Analysis

The Buckeye State Forestry Project has the core structural elements of a credible REDD project—VVB-verified additionality, a 22% buffer pool, and a substantial 40% leakage deduction—but the validation report reveals 22 findings (4 non-conformities and 18 issues) spanning ownership boundaries, fire-risk underestimation, and baseline documentation gaps that collectively undermine confidence in the 84,395-tonne claim. The low extraction confidence and an 'unknown' document type in the evidence set further weaken the evidentiary base.

Project Description

Red Flags

• ⚠Four non-conformity reports (NCRs) identified in the validation report, including a biomass unit-conversion error and a missing VVB verification history statement, indicating material procedural non-compliance
• ⚠NIR 11 and NIR 22 flag parcels within the project boundary that are not owned by the project proponent, raising questions about whether the claimed 84,395 tonnes include reductions from land outside the proponent's control
• ⚠NIR 9 identifies that the fire risk score was underestimated despite the Kimble Complex wildfire occurring within 30 miles, directly challenging the adequacy of the 22% buffer pool
• ⚠FPIC was not conducted and no grievance mechanism is documented, despite safeguards being mentioned in the project documents
• ⚠Minimum extraction confidence is rated low, meaning at least one key document was poorly readable and the full evidentiary picture may be incomplete

Credit Vintages