Thursday, 27 February 2025
Chestnut Carbon Afforestation Project First Verified Impact Certification in US
A carbon removal developer with huge offtake support verified the first US-based afforestation (ARR) project through the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Verified Impact program for biodiversity, it announced February 6, 2025.
Chestnut Carbon has verified its Sustainable Restoration Project through the FSC, certifying that the project will have quantified positive impacts on biodiversity by restoring over 16,000 acres to native forestlands.
“It is an honor to be recognized by FSC for our carbon removal projects’ commitment to biodiversity,” said Shannon Smith, chief commercial officer of Chestnut Carbon.
Chestnut will be acquiring and leasing unproductive, intensively managed pasture and croplands to plant trees and restore diverse, native forests. The project consists of 25 project sites across Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Forest Carbon Works, a division of Chestnut, will manage the forests and maintain the project’s FSC certification.
The new FSC certification could drive even more demand for the credits as it “showcases the projects impacts on factors including watersheds, carbon sequestration, soil conservation, recreational services, and species diversity,” Chestnut said.