Finite Carbon and LandYield have joined forces to revolutionize the voluntary carbon market (VCM) and provide new opportunities for family forest landowners to benefit from carbon credits. Finite Carbon, a North American developer of forest carbon offsets, was acquired by BP in 2020. With over 3.9 million acres of high-quality forest carbon projects, Finite Carbon brings extensive expertise to the collaboration. LandYield, a Tennessee startup, aims to give family forest owners access to carbon markets and the chance to earn income by preserving their forests and enhancing carbon sequestration.
The partnership between Finite Carbon and LandYield has resulted in the launch of the CORE Carbon platform. This platform allows non-industrial landowners in 13 southeastern states in the U.S. to efficiently enroll in a carbon offset program. Currently, fewer than 1% of family forest landowners benefit from the carbon market, and the CORE Carbon platform aims to increase this percentage.
The program offers flexibility to landowners, allowing them to choose which part of their land to enroll in the program. They can also continue commercial activities on the enrolled land, such as gathering non-timber products and leasing rights to hunters. In return for compliance with reporting and monitoring requirements, landowners will receive quarterly compensation through carbon credits. The CORE Carbon platform simplifies the process through its dashboard, which includes an advanced digital mapping tool that leverages Finite Carbon’s software and remote sensing expertise.
Accurate monitoring and reporting of carbon stocks is crucial for generating verified and quantifiable carbon credits. The CORE Carbon platform utilizes satellite imagery and data from the U.S. Forest Service to track forest growth, which is essential for measuring carbon emission reductions and removals resulting from improved forest management practices. The carbon offset projects are verified under the American Carbon Registry’s scientific methodology, specifically designed for family forests.
Finite Carbon has a proven track record, having delivered over $900 million in forest carbon deals. The collaboration with LandYield marks another significant milestone for the company. Finite Carbon CEO, Sean Carney, emphasized the importance of the partnership, stating, “We’re excited to team up with LandYield to create long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with a broad range of landowners by providing a financial incentive for their environmental stewardship so people can enjoy their land for generations to come.”
LandYield plays a crucial role in delivering payments to enrolled landowners who commit to deferring timber harvests and enhancing carbon sequestration on their lands. By making long-term forest management changes, landowners contribute to climate benefits. The platform enables LandYield to provide landowners with estimates of potential income from carbon credits. Mercuria Energy Group, one of the world’s largest independent energy and commodity groups, supports LandYield and plans to purchase the offsets generated. Mercuria will use the forest carbon credits to offset emissions from their fossil-fuel businesses and sell the remainder to other companies seeking to reduce their carbon emissions.
Initially, the carbon program is open to landowners in the southeastern U.S., which encompasses up to 120 million acres of family-owned forest land. The program covers states such as Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma. As the program expands, it will include other parts of the country.
The collaboration between Finite Carbon and LandYield, along with the launch of the CORE Carbon platform, breaks barriers and offers financial incentives for environmental stewardship. This initiative promotes nature-based solutions and sustainable forest management, benefiting both landowners and the planet. It paves the way for a greener future for generations to come.
