How it works
The project objective is achieved by managing the land in the form of a “private conservation reserve” by developing and implementing a management plan. The plan includes rigorous monitoring and enforcement procedures built upon ongoing surveillance activities in the area since 2008. These scaled-up monitoring activities actively rely on the participation of villagers, who live within the project boundary, trained in forest management and monitoring techniques. The medium-term goal is to allow forest regeneration, thus increasing the amount of carbon sequestered in the forest. The project has been successful in identifying and removing illegal activities such as logging, squatting, and attempting to implement pastures.
Offsets Made it Happen
Without funds from carbon offsets, the area would have been harvested for timber and then turned into cattle ranching – as evidenced by the areas outside the project area. The project generates multiple climate, social and biodiversity benefits.
Other Benefits of the Project
COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT:
The benefits to the community are vast:
- Local villagers are employed and trained in forest management and monitoring techniques, giving them money for protecting the forest rather than harvesting it.
- 300 villagers have improved quality of, or access to, education.
- Villages are trained in capacity building and how to develop small business plans – which replace their dependence on timber extraction for income.
- A percentage of funds from offset sales are put towards a trust fund for the new small businesses.
- Cattle ranchers are provided with techniques to improve pasture management and the benefits of doing so. By being more efficient with their land use, they require less area, which reduces the risk of deforestation outside of the project area
In addition, energy-efficient cookstoves have been distributed to 150 villagers, which leads to:
- Improved health by having a fuel-efficient cookstove that is not going to create as much smoke and use as much regular fuel, leading to a reduction in pollution.
- Improved cooking time by having a multi-burner stove.
- Controlled fire, so there is less risk of burning down the house.
- Smaller size, so those who cooked outside can now cook inside and avoid the rain.
- Improved cleanliness as it is easier to start the stove, easier to clean the ash, and easier to use in general.
- Less time spent cooking means women spend more time in agroforestry activities which are traditionally the domain of men.
