YASSP actively engages in responding to Requests for Information and providing reviews and commentaries for industry, policy, & other players in land management. See our work below.
YASSP researchers and students reviewed Isometric’s Improved Forest Management Protocol v1.0 in a request for public consultation on the protocol. We provided comments and requests for clarification on sections regarding underlying models for crediting periods, mitigation plans, species composition and more.
October 14, 2025
To combat and dissuade recent proposals for climate action policy that downplay NCS investments based on durability concerns, scientists pen a consensus and urging to ensure that natural climate solutions (NCS) continue to be an integral component of international climate goals as policies for carbon removal are updated and progress.
Read the full document here.
September 10, 2025
YASSP researchers responded to the call with line based edits and questions regarding the recycling of carbon policy/measurements for leakage and additionality for a biodiversity use-case. We suggest novel parameters for biodiversity accounting and crediting.
April 9, 2025
In Fall 2024, Isometric, a voluntary carbon crediting standard body, released a draft version of its Reforestation Protocol for generating carbon credits for replanting forests. YASSP provided written input during their public consultation period on measurement, reporting and verification methods for tracking carbon and biodiversity gains in planted areas. A link to the Public Consultation Summary can be found here.
November 19, 2024
In May 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Growing Climate Solutions Act sought public input to inform the design and implementation of a program that connects farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners with qualified technical assistance providers and third-party verifiers for participation in voluntary carbon markets. It specifically invited feedback on criteria for evaluating carbon credit protocols and related program components to ensure consistency, transparency, and credibility in greenhouse gas measurement and crediting systems. YASSP submitted written input to this RFI.
June 24, 2024
In June 2023, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll convened a 12-person committee of experts and engaged with stakeholders and the public to inform the development of “Forests As Climate Solutions” policy, which focused on climate-oriented management guidelines that increase carbon storage and resilience to climate change. YASSP and The Forest School colleagues engaged at multiple points over the two year process to provide written comments on climate-smart management practices for Massachusetts forests.
September 2023 & January 2024
YASSP researchers express their support for NRCS programs that prioritize soil carbon monitoring, stating, “We believe the Federal Strategy can be bolstered by integrating recent advances in applied economics and epidemiology to quantitatively estimate the effect sizes of such things as public policy and health interventions on societal outcomes.
August 10, 2023
The 2022 federal Request for Information on old-growth and mature forests invited stakeholders to provide input to help the US Forest Service define, identify, and inventory these forests across U.S. federal lands, as directed by Executive Order 14072. It also sought feedback to inform future policies and management strategies addressing threats such as wildfire and climate change, and to guide conservation, restoration, and climate-informed forest management efforts. YASSP and colleagues at The Forest School submitted a response.
August 24, 2022