By Christie U. Omonigho
Energy Window International (Media) has just learnt that French TotalEnergies has signed an agreement with NativState, an Arkansas-based forest carbon project developer, to conserve forests from land conversion and heavy timber harvesting.
In its email statement posted to Energy Window International (Media) TotalEnergies disclosed that the transaction included 13 Improved Forest Management (IFM) projects located in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, USA covering 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) owned by more than 280 private family forest landowners. Adding that the carbon program managed by NativState offers landowners a sustainable income alternative to this region’s common practice of heavy timber harvesting while restoring forest health and improving carbon stocks.
This investment according to the statement is expected to support sustainable forest practices such as identifying and preserving high conservation value forests, implementing best management practices for streamside management zones, improving forest species diversity, and conserving wildlife corridors. It is also expected to generate social benefits to small landowners such as forestry management education and technical support, as well as financial benefits by giving them access to voluntary carbon markets.
The statement also disclosed that the carbon credits to be generated by the project will be certified by the ACR which according to TotalEnergies is an internationally recognized carbon crediting program it also has the intention to acquire. “After prioritizing emission avoidance and reduction, the Company will use these credits from 2030 onwards to voluntarily offset part of its remaining direct Scope 1 & 2 emissions.
“TotalEnergies confirms its commitment to support the conservation and enhancement of carbon sinks, with local value creation”, says Adrien Henry, Vice President Nature Based Solutions at TotalEnergies. “We are thrilled to support NativState to scale up their operations, directly benefiting the environment and their local communities.”
“We, at NativState, are honored and deeply grateful for our partnership with TotalEnergies and our forest landowner families, which creates extraordinary opportunities to build a lasting legacy for small forest landowners in our communities across the southern United States while supporting TotalEnergies in addressing the challenges of global energy markets,” Stuart Allen, NativState Founder and CEO said. “It is a privilege to empower these landowners to embrace sustainable forestry practices, cultivating healthier lands and stronger communities for generations to come.”
The company had noted this milestone as part of its climate ambition which when added to its existing actions would simply mean they were there on time in the emissions reduction struggle, Adding that it has been working with many local partners around the world to develop and conserve natural carbon sinks, while helping to preserve or improve their biodiversity. It further said that the operations have followed a long-term approach of sustainable and integrated economic development of areas with local communities, while disclosing its plans to invest $100 million per year to build a portfolio of projects capable of generating at least 5 million metric tons of CO2e of carbon credits per year by 2030. The carbon credits will be used after 2030 to offset the Company’s scope 1 & 2 emissions.
NativState LLC according to TotalEnergies is a forest carbon development company partnering with small forest landowners across the southern United States to deliver access to global carbon markets. “We work with landowners to improve and conserve their forests while realizing a financial return based on the creation of high-quality carbon credits sold to companies seeking to meet and exceed their carbon emission reduction goals. Using ACR’s Improved Forest Management (IFM) methodology and our forty-year carbon agreement, we work with landowners to provide a new source of income from their forests versus historical, intensive timber harvesting. Through this process NativState empowers forest owners with the ability to manage their properties sustainably and provide the co-benefits of improved water quality, improved biodiversity, and improved overall health of the forest,” TotalEnergies said.