Chestnut Carbon (Chestnut), leading developer of nature-based carbon removal credits, announced that its Sustainable Restoration Project became the first U.S.-based project verified through the Forest Stewardship Council ® (FSC ®) Verified Impact program for Biodiversity Conservation – Restoration of Natural Forest Cover. This verification certifies that Chestnut's forest management practices have quantified positive impacts on biodiversity conservation by restoring over 16,000 acres to native forestlands the United States.
Forest Carbon Works, a division of Chestnut, has held a FSC certificate (FSC180518) since 2022. Verified Impact enhances project credibility by providing third-party verification under the trusted FSC brand. The procedure has enabled FSC certificate holders to quantify and showcase their impacts on factors including watersheds, carbon sequestration, soil conservation, recreational services, and species diversity. By restoring these lands to natural and native forests, the project creates forest ecosystems that promote high biodiversity and create habitats for local species.
"We are excited that Chestnut has added the FSC Ecosystem Services Verified Impacts to their FSC Forest Management certificate. This is the first time it has been applied in the United States," said Thomas Kain, Senior Manager, U.S. Certification and Business Development at the Forest Stewardship Council.
Chestnut plans to restore hundreds of thousands of acres to vibrant and complex ecosystems over the 100-year project lifetime. This certification further strengthens Chestnut's project quality and reputation for delivering carbon removal credits of the highest integrity and climate impact.
"It is an honor to be recognized by FSC for our carbon removal projects' commitment to biodiversity, and especially proud to be the first U.S. project to achieve this milestone," said Shannon Smith, Chief Commercial Officer of Chestnut Carbon. "In pursuit of our goal to remove 100 million tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, we will continue to conserve and restore forestland across the U.S. and to support long-term conservation of ecosystems in the process."
In addition to the FSC certification, Chestnut's project meets the most rigorous verification criteria from Gold Standard. The resulting carbon removals would not have occurred in the absence of carbon markets, making them the very definition of additional. Chestnut stands behind the long-term durability of its carbon removal in private ownership of the land and risk mitigation practices.
Congratulations to Chestnut Carbon.