Support Brazil Nut producers to preserve old-growth forest in the Peruvian Amazon
Overview
Brazil Nut Concessions
Peru
290,714 ha
Developer: Bosques Amazónicos SAC
Avoided Unplanned Deforestation
Established in 2010, the Brazil Nut Concessions project prevents deforestation and protects biodiversity on 500,000 acres in the Peruvian Amazon. The project is a collaboration between the project developer and a conglomeration of over 300 small concessioner landowners aimed at refocusing the local economy towards the passive harvest of Brazil Nuts – a valuable commodity that can only be found in old-growth rainforest such as that protected in the project – and providing community members with sustainable income through carbon finance.
Registry
Registry ID: 868
Methodology
Verified Carbon Standard VM0007 v1.1
Brazil nuts, as seen in this image of the local community processing, provide an alternative agroforestry crop to clear-cutting for agriculture and can only be sourced from the old-growth rainforest.
Pachama's project evaluation criteriaPachama rigorously evaluates every project listed on our marketplace to ensure that we're surfacing only the highest quality projects. Our Evaluation Criteria includes a series of checks that every project must pass as well as a number of informative insights on project quality. You can see a preview of these checks below.
01
Additional
Does the project have a net additional climate benefit?
Net additional climate benefit
Emissions reductions are calculated based on the difference between baseline, project, and leakage emissions. Pachama analyzes emissions claims to confirm that the project has a net additional climate benefit, and each credit represents at least one metric ton of carbon.
02
Conservative
Is the climate benefit based on sound and conservative claims?
Baseline claims
Pachama analyzes baseline emissions accounting to confirm that the reported baseline emissions are less than what Pachama observes with remote sensing.
Project claims
Pachama assesses the project boundary, project emissions accounting, carbon inventory, and financial and legal additionality.
Leakage claims
Pachama summarizes the project's reported leakage emissions accounting.
03
Durable
Is the climate benefit long-lasting?
Ongoing monitoring
Pachama quantifies emissions since the last verification to ensure the project continues to deliver a climate benefit.
Project risks
Pachama characterizes fire and other natural risks and summarizes buffer pool contributions.
04
Beyond Carbon
Does the project deliver benefits beyond carbon?
Social impacts
If a project occurs on community-owned land, Pachama confirms the community is fully informed of the project activity and impact, consent is given without coercion, and a grievance and redress mechanism is in place.
Ecological impacts
For ARR projects, Pachama analyzes native species planting, species diversity, regional suitability, and reforestation practices.
Certifications
Pachama provides a summary of the project's awarded certifications.
1/4
A quantitative threshold that each project must align with in order to pass Pachama's Evaluation Criteria. If a project does not align with any one of Pachama's checks, it will not be listed on the marketplace.
A qualitative insight relevant to carbon credit quality. Quality Insights do not impact whether a project aligns with Pachama's Evaluation Criteria.
Impacts beyond carbon
Teaching communities about alternative and sustainable production initiatives
The Brazil Nut Concessions project works directly with concessioner communities who are highly dependent on local ecosystems but who, historically, have had few resources to protect the rich primary rainforest they call home. This project is enabling communities to safeguard against illicit deforestation and generate community income through carbon credit sales. The project has built a new brazil nut processing facility to increase the value of harvested nuts, expanding what was formally a subsistence activity into a viable income source. To support this economic redirection, the project has implemented a significant outreach campaign to educate the local population on the benefits of intact rainforests, holding workshops in each town within the region.
12
Responsible consumption and production
The project specifically trains deforestation agents in alternative and sustainable production initiatives. For example, training workshops are conducted for local miners in agroforestry, management of forestry products, and fish farming.
Concessionaires organized a Ground Team of Monitoring and Surveillance, made up of 12 people divided into sub-teams of two people for multiple checkpoints. All of the checkpoints are located in strategic places in order to monitor and control illegal logging activities, migratory agriculture, and mining activities in the project area. Additionally, a weekly preventive patrolling system was implemented throughout the boundaries of the project area.
The project is establishing a permanent tree nursery to enrich the Brazil nut concessions and produce 100,000 seedlings per year. The tree seeds are obtained from the concessions, given that they are areas of natural forest with these species present. The trees identified as suitable seed trees are then geo-referenced, and the collection is done according to the seeding campaign of each species.
The forest is not only a vital resource for local communities but it is also a precious habitat for countless threatened and endangered species. By enhancing capabilities in local communities, this project safeguards forest areas which in turn protects biodiversity and valuable habitats.
Public registry documentsApplicable calculation methods are referenced in the reports below. Note that registries do not publicly provide all pertinent data required to reproduce emissions calculations. However, Independent Validation and Verification Bodies have access to the data needed to reproduce and verify emissions calculations.