Interested in placing an easement on your property?

We’re here to make it work for you.

Although carbon has become a bit of a pie-in-the-sky idea in NS, we are working with a carbon developer who is ready to purchase our forest carbon credits now. All we need is to develop a pool of landowners that collectively own 10,000 acres - a small fraction of private woodlots in Southwestern NS.

We think that woodlot owners are worried about the future of their forests, that they hope their kids will take an interest in management but instead have moved to the city. Or perhaps they are comfortable with their successional planning but want to make sure if their property changes hands, their legacy won’t be affected.

A carbon agreement is tied to the property along with the easement agreement, and allows NSWWT to access carbon markets through the aggregated pool. The immediate purpose of the carbon agreement is to cover the costs of the endowment. However, once the endowment is paid for, there will also be dividends available to the woodlot owner. We encourage participation from woodlot owners whose primary interest is to place an easement on their property, rather than financially gain from the carbon agreement.

We are currently looking for properties over 250 acres that have a special stewardship value, with a high component of mature forest. If you think your woodlot might qualify, we invite to reach out to us, and we can share more insights on the process of entering into an easement.

NSWWT can help you achieve, and finance your forest stewardship goals.

 
 

What Landowners Get

  • Working Forest Easement placed on your property

  • Expert consultations with forest professionals

  • Management plans that are customized for your unique goals for your land

  • Funding to help you reach your goals

  • Long-term peace of mind that your woodlot will be managed carefully in perpetuity

Woodlot requirements

  • Over 250 forested acres

  • Forest comprised of 50% or more mature forest (over 40 years)

  • Either managed or natural state

  • Presence of wildlife or special habitat features

 

Still curious about how carbon credits work?


How do forest carbon credits with NSWWT work?

Individual landowners work with NSWWT and our woodlot management partners to identify and implement forest stewardship practices that help to enhance carbon sequestration. As the convener, NSWWT brings these individual landowners together into an aggregated group that is collectively committed to maintaining and increasing carbon stocking levels across their forested parcels. This allows the group as a whole to generate carbon offset credits, which are then sold to buyers on the market. In exchange, the land trust can finance annual monitoring on the woodlot and individual landowners receive revenue or dividends, depending on their long-term goals.


What is the term of the carbon agreement?

When entering into an easement with NSWWT, landowners are joining into both a Working Forest Easement and a Carbon Agreement. The Easement is attached to the property in perpetuity, and describes the agreed management practices on the woodlot. The Carbon Agreement however is a 40-year term, in which the owner is typically paid dividends in the first 5 years of the project, and is a document on the entire aggregated pool and held by NSWWT as the convener. The Carbon Agreement is parallel to the Easement in terms of allowable practices, following principles of ecological forestry. Working with our management partners, NSWWT will help provide insights on how to best manage your woodlot to sequester carbon.


Will I make money off carbon credits?

Entering into an aggregated carbon agreement will allow small woodlot owners to access carbon markets. These markets currently can only be accessed by large landowner or through an aggregator such as NSWWT. Woodlots are pooled until there are enough participating landowners to reach a 10,000 acres, the minimum area required for the project to be economically feasible . After required inventories, legal consultation, and verification costs the carbon offsets are split between the woodlot owner and NSWWT to cover the cost of the endowment.

Land trusts typically fundraise for an endowment that serves as a contribution to the long-term stewardship and maintenance of the easement. The most significant cost is annual monitoring, which the easement holder must take on in perpetuity to ensure there are no infractions on the property. Due to the restrictions placed on the property there is also an inherent risk of infractions, which may result in legal ramifications if NSWWT cannot settle the matter with the owner.

The NSWWT is only seeking to enter into easement and carbon agreements with woodlot owners who are most concerned about the long-term stewardship of their woodlot, rather than monetary gains.

For more details on the carbon credit process contact us.