How to earn income from harvest-ready forest

Over 200 landowners have partnered with Arbonics to afforest their land and earn future income from carbon credits. Join them. Start here by requesting a free analysis for your land (Estonia only), or continue reading to learn more about how it works.

Key takeaways

• If your forest is harvest-ready and you intend to harvest, you could earn up to €15,000 per hectare by withholding clear-cutting or extending the rotation age of your forest (with first payments starting within 3 to 5 years from joining the project).
• It’s flexible: you can opt out anytime before the first Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) are generated.
• This is our new offer (Impact Forestry) which is currently available for landowners in Estonia.

What is Impact Forestry?

Impact Forestry is a custom-made plan designed for landowners who choose to withhold clear-felling for at least 40 years. It ensures you are rewarded for your commitment to sustainable forestry practices.

At its core, it involves extending the rotation lengths of forests and using conservation mechanisms where relevant, allowing the forest to continue storing carbon and preserving biodiversity over an extended period.

This delay benefits the environment and provides a carbon income stream (up to €15,000 per hectare during the project, with payments starting within three to five years).

Think you qualify? Impact Forestry is currently available for landowners in Estonia. Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch!

Why can I earn carbon credits and income from Impact Forestry?

Let’s break it down. When a forest reaches maturity and is ready for harvest, the stored carbon can either:

a) be released through logging or,

b) retained by allowing the trees to continue growing

Credit buyers—companies aiming to offset their emissions— want to pay for projects that prevent carbon from entering the atmosphere. This is where you, as a landowner, can benefit from Impact Forestry.

By postponing the clear-felling of your forest, you avoid the release of carbon into the atmosphere. This avoidance is rewarded in the form of carbon credits, which can be sold to generate income.

What does Arbonics do? We quickly analyse your forest for suitability and provide an assessment of how much its carbon storage will change over time— and therefore how much you can earn.

We take care of all the measurements and work with Verra, a third-party verifier who issues the credits.

Why can’t I earn from growing forests (not harvest ready)?

In carbon projects, additionality is key. This means that the sequestration must come from actions that wouldn’t have happened without the project.

If your forest is already growing and isn't ready for harvest, there’s no change in management that leads to additional carbon being sequestered. The trees are already storing carbon as they grow, so there’s no “extra” action to claim credit for.

Impact Forestry focuses on mature, harvest-ready forests because delaying clear-felling represents an additional step that increases carbon storage beyond what would happen naturally.

How does the Impact Forestry project work?

There are five steps to the project:

1. Quick suitability analysis based on your land. Sign up here.. Estonian landowners only.

2. First cooperation agreement: This initial agreement kicks off our collaboration. It's a flexible contract that gives you the freedom to opt out without any penalties until the first carbon credits (Verified Carbon Units, VCUs) are created.

3. We collaborate on a carbon plan for your forest: We’ll work closely with you to understand the unique characteristics of your forest and develop a management plan that increases both carbon storage and forecast the carbon income you can receive.

4. General agreement: You commit to hold off on clear-felling for at least 40 years, which ensures your forest maximises carbon storage and preserves biodiversity.

5. Carbon income generated: Within 3 to 5 years, the first carbon credits are issued, providing you with initial income!

Landowners can earn between up to €15,000 per hectare over the 40-year contract period.

Income projections vary depending on forest type, carbon stock growth, and market conditions, and we’ll work closely with you to provide accurate estimates based on the specific characteristics of your forest.

Can I join Impact Forestry?

To take part in Impact Forestry, you must meet specific project conditions:

• The minimum eligible forest size is 5 hectares.
• The forest must be legally ready for harvest, with no existing legal restrictions on harvesting.
• The forest has a forest management plan or harvesting permit.
• The forest must be maintained under a management strategy that leads to improved carbon storage compared to standard practices (developed in collaboration between Arbonics and the landowner)
• Harvesting is allowed within limits (up to 20% every five years), ensuring that carbon storage goals are met.

If you tick all of those boxes, you may qualify for Impact Forestry! Fill out the introduction form here, and we’ll be in touch to get you started.