Reports by ESMC and ESMRC
View the latest ESMC & ESMRC reports below – these include research reports, annual reports, and technology assessments undertaken by ESMC, ESMRC, and our technical working groups.
ESMC Reports and 2-Pagers
- 2024 Annual Report (September 2025)
- ESMC PLET Module (December 2024): This document provides a brief overview of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) Pollutant Load Estimator Tool (PLET) and ESMC’s version of this tool, henceforth referred to as the PLET Module. Specifically, ESMC integrated the USEPA PLET module into the ESMC EcoHarvest Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification platform. This automated solution allows efficient and integrated quantification of water quality and water quantity impacts for approved best management practices into ESMC’s MRV platform. The result enables reduced data collection burdens on producers and project partners, and faster reporting of outcomes to producers and project partners.
- 2023 Annual Report (May 2024)
- Testing the Feasibility of Quantifying Change in Agricultural Soil Carbon Stocks through Empirical Sampling (December 2023): This study explores the debate about whether regenerative farming practices can effectively store more organic carbon in soil, which is important for combating climate change; published in Geoderma in December 2023.
- Analysis of the Frequency of Bulk Density vs. Soil Organic Carbon Samples for Soil Carbon Programs (December 2023): The primary goal of most soil carbon programs is to quantify the accumulation of soil carbon from baseline (T0) to some later point in time (T1). Yet there is only a small amount of published research on the respective contribution of carbon and bulk density sampling to uncertainty and field- and project-level carbon quantification. Thanks to the diversity and the unprecedented number and coverage of the soil measurements in ESMC projects, we can provide significant insights into the design of future soil carbon quantification plans and policies. Notably, soil bulk density is more spatially consistent, and less variable compared to soil organic carbon concentration, which has significant implications for sampling strategies. Bulk density is responsible for less than 5% of the uncertainty of overall carbon quantification, while carbon concentration contributes 84-99% of uncertainty. A conservative recommendation for a fixed budget program is to collect bulk density samples at one-third the density of soil organic carbon concentration samples to maximize the return on investment concerning quantification accuracy.
- Determining Optimal Sample Size Using Power Analysis (December 2023): This report explores strategies to optimize the density of ESMC’s soil sampling process.
- Evaluation of Ospats+ Stratification Methodology (December 2023): Streamlining quantification and verification of soil carbon sequestration and ecosystem services at scale requires technical solutions that address both soil sampling and sampling design costs. Soil stratification, the process of incorporating additional data to minimize the sampling variance, can be used to design sampling plans at lower costs without reducing uncertainty.
This report reviews several stratification methods for soil sampling. - Field Buffer Size Analysis Report (December 2023): To scale up ecosystem service projects, automatically generating soil sampling points via a stratification web service can directly address one of the key constraints. This report, Field Buffer Size Analysis, identifies a solution for determining the appropriate size for a field buffer within an automated stratification framework.
- ESMC Market Supply and Demand Analysis for the Western Range Region (November 2023): ESMC’s groundbreaking Eco-Harvest program quantifies on-farm and on-ranch benefits such as carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas reductions, improved water quality, and biodiversity enhancement. Two ESMC reports highlight market supply and demand for ecosystem services in the Western Range through a deep dive spanning over 100 million acres. The analysis reveals both supply and demand dynamics for ecosystem services in the region. The ‘ESMC Market Supply Analysis‘ highlights the immense potential of conservation practices in this semi-arid region, estimating significant environmental impacts including CO2 reduction and water quality improvements. The ‘ESMC Market Demand Analysis‘ examines a rapidly evolving policy landscape, with extensive ecosystem services market opportunities.
- Evaluating Water Issues to Inform Prioritization of Funding Conservation Practices (October 2023): The report, an output of ESMC’s Technical Working Groups, provides insights into the needs and challenges faced by buyers in relation to supply shed water quality within ecosystem services markets. This report delves into the critical issue of water quality and quantity (‘water use’) in the United States, driven by the mounting pressures of a growing population, shifting climate patterns, and anthropogenic activities.
- 2022 Annual Report (May 2023)
- ESMC Responses to Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP) Survey on Need and Scope for Updates or Additional Guidance: Market-based Accounting Approaches (submitted March 2023)
- Markets for Ecosystem Services on Public Grazing Lands: Assessment of Potential Services and Considerations for a Successful Program (publicly released January 2023)
- 2021 Annual Report (June 2022)
- Remote Sensing Technology Assessment (released April 2022)
- Direct Measurement and Proximal Sensing Technology Assessment (released April 2022)
- Modeling and Stratification Technology Assessment (released April 2022)
- Final Report on Remoting Sensing, Direct Measurement Technology, and Modeling and Stratification Technology (released April 2022)
- Rotational Tillage Assessment White Paper: Synopsis (January 2022)
- Mississippi River Basin State Policies Relevant to Environmental Market Development: A Rapid Assessment (May 2021)
- 2020 Annual Report (released April 2021)
