Rewild Carbon: an initiative of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
Rewild Carbon is an initiative of the world-renowned conservation organisation, the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, whose mission is to save species from extinction. Rewild Carbon is a wild, colourful and impactful way to balance your carbon.
Your investment in Rewild Carbon will do so much more than just offset your carbon footprint. It’s also about reviving ecosystems, recovering species, and rebuilding livelihoods. Offsetting your carbon through Durrell means that you are investing in one of the most precious ecosystems on the planet and the many animals and communities that flourish there. Your carbon footprint is truly rewilded.
Why you can feel confident that removing your carbon through Durrell is hugely beneficial for nature:
- They have been sequestering carbon for 60 years through their work saving habitat
- Their ecosystems are rich in endangered species and are beautifully biodiverse. Species-rich forests can sequester up to 40 times more carbon than monocultures
- 95% of the money you spend on offsetting carbon with Durrell will go straight to nature
- Durrell will translate tonnes of carbon into wild commodities like the number of species moving through your trees
- Their projects are designed together with local communities and benefit sustainable livelihoods. Durrell works with local partners on the ground that they have long-standing relationships with. Together they know the wildlife, the threats and the land best.
- Durrell’s approach is transparent and science-driven.
Their carbon project, ‘The Atlantic Rainforest’ in Brazil addresses climate change, supports local communities and conserves biodiversity.
The issue
- The Atlantic forest is one of the richest, most biodiverse and threatened habitats on the planet: it holds 7% of the world’s species, of which 55% are endemic
- Only 6% of the interior rainforest now remains in the project region, in isolated fragments, replaced by pastures and intensive farmland
- Poverty incidence is up to 47% in the project region, with humanitarian challenges for landless people
Isolated forest fragments result in:
- A reduction in the population of endemic species, reducing the genetic diversity of populations trapped in fragments
- Increased risk of fatality for animals attempting to move between fragments, as they come into contact with roads, humans and domestic animals
- Edge effects from roads and cattle ranching, which lead to further habitat loss and degradation.
Durrell’s solution
The Atlantic Rainforest project aims to improve the species conservation status on the Red List of the black lion tamarins, which are the most vulnerable of the endangered species in the forest, with only 1000 left in the project region. Their solution is designed to protect the species, and allow for their population to grow in the region, and creates a number of fantastic co-benefits, carbon being one of them.
Planting tree corridors
- Allowing for the migration of the forests vast number of species
- This will restore a huge area of new forest
- Includes planting endangered and vulnerable tree species
- Trees are planted in a considered way – e.g. strong species on the edges that can withstand edge effects, and quick growing species to establish shade and help others grow
- The seedlings are nurtured for 3-4 years until they can survive on their own. If a tree dies, another is planted in its place.
- In 6 years, they become a forest
Agroforestry
- Agroforestry plots created to act as ‘stepping stones’ between forest fragments and support local livelihoods
- Crop species cultivated for decades in the project region: shade-grown coffee, pineapple, banana, avocado, coconut, papaya
- Design and crop species tailored to the preferences of each farmer
Protecting biodiversity
- Contribute to the conservation of 1,000 black lion tamarins estimated to occur in the project region through habitat connectivity.
- A subpopulation of at least 6 groups of breeding black lion tamarins is established, and groups of black lion tamarins are exploring the forest corridors.
- Develop and provide safe sleeping sites for black lion tamarins: 100 nest boxes.
- Translocate and survey black lion tamarins to encourage their occupation of new areas.
- Contribute to the conservation of 30 jaguars, 30 pumas, 300 ocelots, and 1,000 tapirs estimated to occur in the project region.
- Restore habitat for more than 100 mammal species (2 endemic), 439 birds (7 endemic) and 30 amphibians.
30-year aims & co-benefits
- Contribute to the conservation of 1,000 tamarins estimated to occur in the project region through habitat connectivity.
- Sequester 1,915,709 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, over the tree’s lifetime (30 years). Through 5 years of planting.
- Restore 5,000 hectares of new forest, through forest corridors (4,500 ha) and agroforestry (500 ha).
- Plant 7,000,000 trees and nurture them until they can survive. Over time, through natural regeneration, this will increase to 14,000,000 trees (3,000 trees/ha for ecosystem restoration and 1,000 trees/ha in agroforestry).
- Plant more than 100 species of native tree and facilitate the natural regeneration of 40 more species.
- Create direct employment for 250 families in rural extension, monitoring, restoration services and seedling production.
- Generate US$ 7,700,000 of local income through restoration services
- Generate US$ 1,475,000 of local income through community nurseries.
- Generate US$ 25,000 of local income through agroforestry projects.
Support the Atlantic Forest project with your carbon investment
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust offers managed reforestation credits to purchase, each of which will sequester 1 tonne of CO2e; which a Pond Foundation member can buy to balance their carbon emissions.
