*Estimated carbon sequestration is 20 kg of CO2e per tree accumulated over five years, based on low estimates of dry and humid tropical growth rates from global restoration databases.
Actual carbon impact of each Priceless Planet Coalition restoration project will be assessed after five years based on data collected throughout the monitoring process.
The dense forests of Guatemala seem to go on forever. After all, the country’s name means “the place of many trees” in the Nahuatl language. Forests cover 33% of the land, and Guatemala is home to the world-famous Maya Biosphere Reserve, where Indigenous communities protect and sustainably manage about 450,000 hectares of forest ecosystems.
This project is centered around the city of Cobán and will operate throughout the northern part of Guatemala within the Las Verapaces region. Geographically, the terrain is mountainous, made up of valleys, plains and steep terrain. The cooperatives in this area cover over 5,000 hectares of land and are the prime producer of many profitable crops, including coffee and cardamom, that have high market value.
The area in which the Federation of Cooperatives of the Verapaces (FEDECOVERA) operates has been degraded in recent years, and much of the land is currently dry pastureland with limited crop-growing potential. By embracing agroforestry, trees and crops will regreen the planting sites, increase crop yields and reshape the landscape for the better.
Agroforestry
The intentional mixing and cultivation of woody perennial species (trees, shrubs, bamboos) alongside agricultural crops in a way that improves the agricultural productivity and ecological function of a site.
Tree planting
The planting of seedlings over an area with little or no forest canopy to meet specific goals.
Most of the tree species that will be used for this project are native to Guatemala, and FEDECOVERA will acquire seeds from the National Forest Institute (INAB).