Organisations generally choose carbon offsetting to address a specific problem: neutralising the impact of their carbon emissions by absorbing or avoiding the emissions elsewhere.

In today’s competitive environment, businesses are seeking to maximise the benefits from their carbon offset programs by achieving wider social and environmental benefits as well as carbon reductions.

How can progressive carbon offsets create non-carbon environmental benefits, such as land restoration and rewilding?

 

What is Land Restoration?

​

Land restoration and rewilding is the process of returning damaged or depleted land and ecosystems back to their original, healthy state.

Healthy ecosystems maintain a natural balance between microorganisms and animals; nutrients and water cycles. If this delicate balance becomes disrupted, the damaged system may not be able to support the plant and animal life that make up the local ecosystem.

Land that has been deforested, polluted by mining, industrial sites or landfill activities, or depleted by over-intensive agricultural practices may be unable to recover naturally.

The soil may be eroded by wind and rain, which increases the risk of flooding and landslides, or invasive species may take hold and crowd out native plants, further limiting biodiversity.

But depleted land can be decontaminated, improved and reclaimed by planting suitable species to enhance its natural biodiversity, or by restoring habitat ‘corridors’ to allow animals to access wider territories and maintain genetic diversity.

 

Why is Land Restoration Important?

​

This year saw the start of the UN’s Decade for Ecosystem restoration. Land restoration can have social, economic and environmental benefits.

Land is a valuable asset for plants, animals and microorganisms as well as for people. Areas of land that have been polluted or depleted can no longer support a diverse ecosystem, so greater pressure is put on surrounding habitats, and plants and wildlife are forced to compete in smaller areas. Returning the land and soil to full health can restore an ecosystem and provide habitats for rare and endangered species.

Decontamination of ex-industrial sites can remove health hazards and prevent the spread of pollution into neighbouring land and water courses.

Land restoration can also help to preserve historical landscapes, and provide places for community use, outdoor leisure activities and tourism, which in turn can provide jobs and boost the local economy.

 

How Can You Support Land Reclamation with Carbon Offsets?

​

By investing in a progressive carbon offset project, you can demonstrate your commitment to non-carbon environmental targets as well as greenhouse gas emissions reduction.

For example, a carbon offset reforestation project adds to the planet’s net carbon storage and helps moderate global warming by slowing the growth of carbon emissions in the atmosphere.

At the same time, the reforestation and rewilding of degraded land can improve biodiversity, enhance habitats for wildlife, improve air and water quality, provide soil filtration, control erosion, and prevent heat islands and wildfires. Such projects also contribute toward reversing the trend of forest cover loss, improving wildlife corridors and creating additional recreation opportunities.

 

Progressive carbon offsets such as projects are designed to deliver land restoration benefits alongside carbon offsets – not just as a happy coincidence – to help companies meet non-carbon environmental goals as well as carbon reduction targets. Supporting rewilding projects can help your company to reach its sustainability goals.

​

 

• Our Projects

​

Play a direct role in funding key aspects of our projects, including wind, water, solar power, sustainable farming, species translocations, native breeds, and tree planting.

​

• Social and Environmental Benefits

Support local communities, including schools, municipalities and family farms. Help protect watersheds and reduce air pollution.

​

• Community Connections

Participate in our Project Guardian Program. In addition to advertising, communications and public relations volunteer opportunities, Project Guardians are often able to visit project sites and collaborate with the communities involved.

​