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Supporting nature-based projects

At Ecologi, we love nature.
When you support nature-based projects, you’re helping to prevent carbon emissions, but you’re also preserving natural habitats like forests and peatlands, and protecting endangered species. In this blog, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about the nature-based projects you can support through <a href="https://ecologi.com/business/impact-shop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our Impact Shop</a>.

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When we refer to nature-based projects on our <a href="https://ecologi.com/business/impact-shop">Impact Shop</a>, we’re usually referring specifically to carbon avoidance projects (as opposed to carbon removal projects, or to our tree-planting and forest restoration projects).
This means that by supporting these projects, you’re preventing a certain amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) from ever entering our atmosphere &#8211; for example, through preventing deforestation. High-quality nature-based projects are an excellent climate solution as they curb GHG emissions while also supporting local communities and wildlife habitats.
The different types of nature-based projects which generate carbon credits include <a href="https://unfccc.int/topics/land-use/workstreams/redd/what-is-redd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the REDD+ scheme</a> for avoided deforestation, as well as  <a href="https://verra.org/methodologies/vm0035-methodology-for-improved-forest-management-through-reduced-impact-logging-v1-0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">improved forest management</a> (IFM), and <a href="https://verra.org/methodologies/vm0042-methodology-for-improved-agricultural-land-management-v1-0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">improved agricultural land management</a>.
Other types of nature-based projects which are classified as nature-based carbon removals include <a href="https://globalgoals.goldstandard.org/403-luf-ar-methodology-ghgs-emission-reduction-and-sequestration-methodology/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">afforestation, reforestation and revegetation</a> (ARR).

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Nature-based carbon avoidance projects prevent precious natural habitats from being degraded, such as by protecting trees from deforestation, and restoring and protecting carbon-rich peatlands. By supporting these projects, carbon in plants and soils remains locked away, and habitats vital to the survival of threatened and endangered species are preserved, helping to protect and boost biodiversity.
Protecting these natural carbon sinks, such as soil, is key to slowing climate change &#8211; and by working with nature, these projects don’t rely on new or experimental technologies to prevent or remove emissions. 
On top of the environmental benefits of our nature-based projects, there is also a boost in quality of life for surrounding communities. These projects can benefit livelihoods by providing new and improved sources of income for local people, and can even bring in better education and healthcare facilities.
Planting new trees is a great climate solution, but we also need to conserve forests that are already there &#8211; not just for their carbon storage, but also to protect and provide habitats for local wildlife.

Things to consider when funding nature-based carbon avoidance projects

Key indicators of a great avoided deforestation project include:
<ul>
<li>Accurate baselining, meaning its estimates of background rates of deforestation were correct.</li>
<li>Additionality, meaning the forest protection would not have happened without the project being there.</li>
<li>Permanence, meaning the project has a good chance of locking up the carbon for a long time.</li>
<li>Strong co-benefits, meaning the project generates additional benefits for the community, or biodiversity.</li>
</ul>
This does mean there are lots of trade-offs to think about when supporting nature-based projects.
For example, a forest project project might have over-achieved in its carbon avoidance goals, but have minimal co-benefits for the local community. Or, a project might be excellent for biodiversity and for the local community, but have seen a little bit more deforestation than it anticipated, leading to a slightly lower carbon benefit.

How do we know our nature-based projects are impactful? 

If you choose to support carbon avoidance through nature-based projects in our Impact Shop, you’ll be supporting a different, carefully selected project each quarter. The majority of the nature-based projects we support fall into the category of <a href="https://drawdown.org/solutions/forest-protection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forest protection</a>, which is recognised as a key climate solution. 
The nature-based projects we support are all certified by either the <a href="https://www.goldstandard.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gold Standard</a> or the <a href="https://verra.org/project/vcs-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Verified Carbon Standard</a> (VCS), and are individually vetted by our expert in-house team. We choose projects based on our analysis of the project&#8217;s chances of success, across all these key indicators.
Additionally, all the nature-based projects we support have been scrutinised and rated highly by <a href="https://www.sylvera.com/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=carbon_credit&amp;utm_term=sylvera&amp;utm_term=sylvera&amp;utm_campaign=Carbon_Credit_NB_EXM_IE&amp;utm_source=adwords&amp;utm_medium=ppc&amp;hsa_acc=3270614844&amp;hsa_cam=16561698208&amp;hsa_grp=135219634780&amp;hsa_ad=587626569584&amp;hsa_src=g&amp;hsa_tgt=kwd-34620595519&amp;hsa_kw=sylvera&amp;hsa_mt=e&amp;hsa_net=adwords&amp;hsa_ver=3&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwwL6aBhBlEiwADycBIBvP0d7Yr4wWVqDSCOuShQfInVA8BidrqKrGr_24yAh_yfDRWssFPxoCAcMQAvD_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sylvera</a>, an independent carbon intelligence platform. Sylvera gives each project a carbon score, as well as additional scores for additionality, permanence, and co-benefits. This gives us an extra layer of due diligence through adding the analysis of an independent third-party. You can read more about our collaboration with Sylvera <a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/updates/weve-teamed-up-with-carbon-intelligence-platform-sylvera" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

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How to support nature-based projects on the Impact Shop 

Supporting nature-based projects through the Impact Shop couldn’t be simpler. There’s no need for a subscription, you just need to visit our website and create a business account. From there, you’ll be able to visit the Impact Shop and search for nature-based projects. You can find all the details about each project and once purchased, the impact will be added to your online profile, giving you an overview of all your climate action. 
<h3><a href="https://ecologi.com/business/impact-shop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Take me to the Impact Shop 🌿</a></h3>

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Hopescrolling: The good news timeline

It’s not all bad. While there’s a lot of negative news about the climate, let’s not forget the good stuff. Find climate wins, reasons to be hopeful and plenty of positivity in our good news timeline.

The good news timeline

Ready to make a difference for our planet? Get in touch, and let’s chat about how we can help you on your climate journey. 

In Depth

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Just as we make sure all our reforestation projects are designed in a way that is most beneficial to our planet, our other terrestrial restoration projects need to be of the highest quality too. Wildflower, Wetlands and Wildlife projects have the potential to provide vital support to a wide array of species, boosting local, national and international biodiversity, as well as being an important and secure carbon store. But for these benefits to come to fruition the projects must be implemented properly, in line with best practices.
We know you might have some questions about this new type of project, so we’ve put together answers to some FAQs to help you learn more about our Wildflower, Wetlands and Wildlife project.

Your questions answered

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Before and after: See how your climate action is making a difference

Before and after: This is how your Ecologi impact is transforming landscapes and lives.

We love a before and after shot at Ecologi. They&#8217;re an incredible way to show the impact of the projects supported by our community. Whether it’s deforested land turning back to verdant green, or solar projects springing to life, sometimes two simple images are worth a thousand words.
On this blog you’ll find snapshot images that paint pictures of the difference our supported climate projects are making, all around the world. Thank you to our community for making it all possible! 
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📍 Location: Ouarzazate, Morocco
⌛ Dates: 2015 –2020
🌱 Project: Verified Carbon Standard
🌳 Type: Solar energy

Morocco

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From a bare area of desert to a haven of clean energy. The Ouarzazate II solar project is a major milestone in Morocco&#8217;s journey towards a clean energy future. It is one of the largest concentrated solar power plants in the world and is expected to supply around 500 GWh per year to Morocco’s power grid.
The project uses thousands of concave mirrors to concentrate solar energy and generate electricity, which can be stored for up to 7 hours. This allows the project to continue generating electricity even after the sun sets.
The Ouarzazate II solar project supplies electricity to nearly 2 million Moroccans and will prevent emissions equivalent to 300,544 tCO2e per year over its 10 year crediting period. The project has also created around 7,000 local jobs and incorporated co-projects that promote the creation of cooperatives, educational opportunities, and skills training.
Learn more about this<a href="https://ecologi.com/projects/morocco-solar"> project</a>.

📍 Location: Brodoclea, North Ayrshire, Scotland
⌛ Dates: 2018 –2021
🌱 Project: Future Forest Company
🌳 Type: Temperate reforestation

Scotland

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Nestled in North Ayrshire, Brodoclea is a sprawling 174-hectare haven of broadleaf woodland that plays host to woolly pigs, the incredible ecological restoration engineers! 
Under <a href="https://thefutureforestcompany.com/">The Future Forest Company</a>&#8216;s guidance, these pigs awaken the soil seed bank, nourish soil microbiology, create space for sapling growth, reduce competition, and form pondlets for breeding amphibians and invertebrates. This enriches the ecosystem, offering sustenance for birds and materials for nests. 
Since 2018, the Ecologi community has helped make a significant impact on this site, funding the planting of 56,170 trees, with a focus on native broadleaf species including oak and birch, creating important habitat for local invertebrate and bird species.

📍 Location: Belavenika, Madagascar.
⌛ Dates: 2019 –2022
🌱 Project: Eden Reforestation Projects
🌳 Type: Mangrove reforestation

Madagascar

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Madagascar’s mangroves are amazing habitats that, sadly, have been deforested over the years and become degraded. This project is one of three currently being supported by the Ecologi community that are replanting mangroves in Madagascar to bring benefits to local biodiversity and communities.
Creating new sustainable income streams for local people is a key component of the project, as is female empowerment. The project employs an average of 85 people per month, with female employees making up approximately 37.5% of the workforce in 2022.
As a result of their involvement in this project, local people are now able to purchase more nutritious food, leading to improved health, and can afford to send their children to school.
To date, the Ecologi community has funded 7.9 million trees on this site in north-west Madagascar.
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📍 Location: Marotaola, Madagascar.
⌛ Dates: 2019 –2022
🌱 Project: Eden Reforestation Projects
🌳 Type: Mangrove reforestation

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This was the very first project we supported, so it holds a special place in our hearts. Seeing its progress over the last four years has brought us so much joy! 
Native mangrove species are being planted on this site, including Avicennia marina, Rhizophora mucronata, and Ceriops tagal. To date, the Ecologi community has funded the planting of over 10 million trees here, and there’s room for another million. 
This site is particularly fascinating as the mangroves are only separated from the open ocean by a thin strip of sand about 100m wide. Despite being more exposed to the ocean, mangroves that have successfully become established are growing well, creating an important habitat for coastal biodiversity and protecting the coastline from erosion by the waves.
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📍 Location: Vĩnh Hảo, Tuy Phong District, Bình Thuận, Vietnam
⌛ Dates: 2018 –2023
🌱 Project: Verified Carbon Standard
☀️ Type: Solar

Vietnam

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Vietnam&#8217;s demand for energy has been rising sharply since the 1990s, and it’s a demand that the country has struggled to fulfil, with an overreliance on coal and frequent power outages.
This project, in the Vinh Hao commune, Vietnam, is generating electricity using photovoltaic technology, which transforms sunlight into electricity. The project is on around 60ha of salt farm, and will generate 83,750MWh of power annually.
Local people have been involved throughout the design phase and operation of the project. The construction process of the project was carefully managed to minimise the impact on the local environment. During the operation of the project, pollution will also be minimised through a series of measures, including ensuring no littering takes place, and waste materials will be responsibly disposed of off-site.
Over the 10-year crediting period, the project will prevent 704,110tCO2e from being emitted by replacing energy in the grid that would otherwise have come from fossil fuels.
The project has given a real boost to the living standards of local communities through economic support funds: the commune gratitude fund in the Vinh Hao commune, and the learning promotion fund in the Binh Thuan province.
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📍 Location: Mount Elgon, Uganda. 
⌛ Dates: 2021 – 2023
🌱 Project: Trees for the Future
🌳 Type: Reforestation and sustainable agroforestry

Uganda

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Trees for the Future’s innovative Forest Gardens approach is all about engaging farmers in reforestation and sustainable agroforestry. The farmers take part in a 4-year programme, learning the skills they need to better manage their land. This brings multiple benefits, including protected crops, stabilised soils, and habitats for pollinators, as well as increasing household incomes.
Over the past two years, the Ecologi community has funded the planting of 766,663 trees in Forest Gardens through this project. Three hundred farmers (57% of whom are women) are involved, with 3,522 people benefitting from the project so far. 
Pictured is 56-year-old Philister Khana, a farmer enrolled in the programme. In just two years she’s taken the number of trees on her plot from 4 to 2,001!
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Supporting nature-based projects

What are nature-based projects?

Why support nature-based projects

Things to consider when funding nature-based carbon avoidance projects

How do we know our nature-based projects are impactful?

How to support nature-based projects on the Impact Shop

More posts

Hopescrolling: The good news timeline

Your questions answered about our Wildflowers, Wetlands and Wildlife project

Before and after: See how your climate action is making a difference

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