Central Tocantins Cerrado Project - CTCP

The project lies in the Cerrado, or Brazilian savannah region - Brazil’s second largest biome after the Amazon rainforest. Despite its importance as a center of biodiversity, only about 1% of the cerrado is included within the Brazilian protected areas system (compared to 6% for the Amazon and 2.7% for the Atlantic rainforest) and it has been subject to intensifying human pressures. Estimates by Conservation International suggest that roughly 80% of the cerrado has been completely altered or modified in a major way.

The Central Tocantins Cerrado Project involves the conservation of 2,500 acres and the reforestation of 375 acres in an area adjacent to the Municipality of Palmas. The Central Tocantins Cerrado Project has a strong social and educational component which will train young people and adults from neighboring communities in forestry techniques and environmental conservation practices. The project will be done based in the Social Carbon StandardTM.

• Project Summary

The project will:

1. remove 48.000 tons of CO2e in 20 years by reforesting 375 acres of a degraded pasture area;
2. remove 4.587 tons of CO2e in 5 years by conserving the positive carbon flux (natural increase of carbon stock) of disturbed Cerrado area;
3. avoid the emission of 121.120 tons of CO2e from preventing land use change and deforestation. The technical studies necessary to determine the emissions baseline and CO2 emission reduction potential associated with the project have already been completed.

• The Without Project Scenario

Traditional slash-and-burn agricultural and cattle raising activities would continue the degradation process as agriculture expands due to new road development in the region. Other adverse impacts include soil fertility loss, erosion, biodiversity loss, negative impacts to the hydrology regimes, and low economic returns to the local population.

• Co-Benefits of the Project

This project intends to use the Social Carbon Methodology to improve the livelihoods of local communities and land owners through:

• Environmental Services Valuation.
• Land use change rate reduction.
• Market improvement for local farmers.
• Creation of job opportunities from forest related activities.
• Improving the local perception about the importance of women in rural society.