Finite Carbon and Land Trust Alliance Partner to Assist Land Trusts in Accessing Carbon Markets
WAYNE, PA., (September 16, 2020) – Finite Carbon, North America’s leading developer and supplier of forest carbon offsets, and The Land Trust Alliance, a national land conservation organization working to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America, today announced a five-year pilot program providing access to voluntary carbon markets and a new source of conservation funding for land trusts who otherwise would not be able to participate. Finite Carbon will help land trusts that own forest lands to participate in the voluntary carbon offset market.
“For land trusts with small holdings, carbon revenue can be a big conservation opportunity. As North America’s leading developer and supplier of forest carbon offsets, Finite Carbon has seen firsthand how carbon revenue has improved the ecologic and economic bottom line for land trusts. We are proud to partner with the Land Trust Alliance to help land trusts unlock a new source of income while promoting cleaner air and water for us all.”
Sean Carney, CEO of Finite Carbon
By participating in the voluntary carbon offset markets, nonprofit land trusts can access new and significant sources of funding. Moreover, research has shown that carbon sequestration in forests and grasslands can play a significant role in mitigating the impacts of climate change.
“Alongside our pioneering partners at Finite Carbon and The Climate Trust, the Land Trust Alliance is pleased to offer our nonprofit land trust members across the nation increased access to the voluntary carbon offset markets. This pilot program represents a significant step forward in our shared effort to combat the effects of climate change. Together, we can and will make a difference.”
Andrew Bowman, president and CEO of Land Trust Alliance
As Forbes wrote in its September feature of the pilot project, “Not only does this mean additional land preservation, but it will help combat the effects of climate change. Forests and grasslands that are kept out of development can keep on sequestering carbon as nature intended.”
By essentially bundling small but similar land holdings of multiple land trusts, the pilot program affords new options to organizations with portfolios of lands that were too small to qualify for a carbon project on their own. The pilot program will allow the Alliance and its partners to test and adapt the program’s methodology; demonstrate the funding potential of participation in the voluntary carbon markets; and, potentially, lay the groundwork for rolling out the opportunity more broadly to all of the Alliance’s member land trusts.
To participate in the pilot program, a land trust must be accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission or committed to becoming accredited, and it must pledge to operate, monitor and manage the land to ensure the permanence of the emission reductions. The Alliance will facilitate land trust participation, coordinating the various stages of the project and provide grants to help select land trusts cover their staff and out-of-pocket expenses. Finite Carbon will serve as the technical project developer for forest projects, including assessing project feasibility, negotiating commercial terms, and marketing and selling offset credits to buyers.
About Finite Carbon
Finite Carbon is North America’s leading developer of forest carbon offsets. With offices in seven states, it combines unparalleled project development experience with extensive carbon market knowledge. Finite Carbon has generated over one-third of all California compliance offset supply and delivered more than $500 million to landowners. Its project portfolio includes nearly three million acres of working forestland representing every region and major forest type from the Appalachians to coastal Alaska.
About the Land Trust Alliance
Founded in 1982, the Land Trust Alliance is a national land conservation organization that works to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America. The Alliance represents 1,000 member land trusts supported by more than 200,000 volunteers and 4.6 million members nationwide. The Alliance is based in Washington, D.C., and operates several regional offices. More information about the Alliance is available at www.landtrustalliance.org.