Since its launch in April 2021, over 30 North American brands have used Carbon Balanced Paper to balance over 37 million pounds of CO2 and help protect 2,290 acres of critical forest habitat.

The program funds four key projects, each one protecting a vast range of threatened animal and plant species. Find out more about each project and the vital work of World Land Trust and its local partners.

Ecuador

Located in the south-east of Ecuador, Nangaritza Valley provides a rich habitat for a spectacular range of animals, including rare and threatened bird and mammal species, as well as an abundance of amphibians and reptiles. The area also has some of the highest levels of plant diversity in the world, with 40% of plant species unique to the region.

However, Nangaritza is threatened by deforestation from agricultural expansion and gold mining, with landowners clearing land for cattle grazing and concessions for international mining operations being issued by the Ecuadorian Government.

In a five-year project, World Land Trust aims to purchase 1,235 acres of land to connect indigenous areas across the lower Nangaritza Valley and restore degraded habitats through reforestation. This will be funded through the Carbon Balanced Paper program with an expected annual climate benefit of 15,368 metric tons of CO2e.

Guatemala

The coastal forests of Guatemala are one of the most beautiful areas of the world, but they are under threat from deforestation and private construction. Now, less than 20% of lowland forest remains in Guatemala due to cattle ranching, agriculture, and commercial logging.

The World Land Trust project will support local landowners to obtain land titles to protect 133,827 acres of forest, transforming local livelihoods through job creation in ecotourism and sustainable agriculture, as well as improving access to health care by establishing 24 community-run clinics.

A mix of lowland forest, wetland, mangrove, and lagoon areas, the project area contains an estimated 359 bird species and 126 species of mammal, including 20 endemic species, along with larger species such as the Jaguar, Baird’s Tapir, West Indian (American) Manatee, and Neotropical Otter.

Mexico

High in the mountains of the Sierra Madre Oriental, the forests of Sierra de Xilitla are under constant threat from wildfires and timber extraction, putting the local ecosystem in significant danger. As well as their high biological value, these forests act as a protective buffer to the neighbouring forests of Sierra Gorda and play a significant role in the formation of clouds and microclimates.

This project aims to protect over 16,000 acres of tropical forestry, which stores a huge amount of carbon – 160 metric tons of CO2e. In addition, the forests provide a habitat for a diverse range of threatened wildlife, from Jaguars, Pumas, American Black Bears and Ocelots to birds such as the Bearded Wood-Partridge, and Crested Guan.

Vietnam

The Khe Nuoc Trong forest in Central Vietnam contains some of the largest remaining tracts of the Annamese Lowland Forest, one of the most important areas in the world in terms of ecology and wildlife. Estimated to contain around 10% of the world’s animal and plant species, its endangered inhabitants include the Southern White-Cheeked Gibbon, the Red-Shanked Douc Langur, and the spectacular Crested Argus bird.

Carbon Balanced Paper has been fundraising for this project for a number of years, and in that time the forest has been officially recognized as a Nature Reserve. But there is much more to do. Illegal logging and poaching remain significant problems, and funds are required to support local rangers to patrol and monitor the area.

By continuing to protect this vital region, World Land Trust are not only ensuring the survival of its threatened animal and plant species, but helping degraded areas of the forest to regrow, which produces an annual climate benefit of 41,686 metric tons of CO2e.

For further details, please contact:
[email protected]; Tel: 506-210-1126
For more information about Carbon Balanced Paper North America, visit www.carbonbalancedpaperna.com.