Sierra Nevada Carbon Cooperative

The Sierra Nevada Carbon Cooperative is a program of the Sierra Business Council developed to pioneer a proactive and holistic approach to sustainable conservation and economic development by capturing the monetary value of forests for the climate benefits they provide, while simultaneously enhancing the ability of the Sierra Nevada to adapt to climate change, provide quality jobs, conserve and restore natural ecosystems, create economic value, and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

In today’s carbon market, offsets are sourced from a diverse group of project types, including renewable energy, methane capture, agriculture, and forestry. Due to their bundled social and environmental co-benefits, forestry land based projects dominate the market as the most common project type, while also demanding the highest price for offsets. Carbon credits resulting from forestry projects, which involve the conservation and enhancement of forests, currently demand prices exceeding $10 per metric ton of CO2 equivalent.

These prices reflect the high value buyers place on forest conservation and management. Carbon offsets often appeal to companies buying credits due to the allure of public relations, land conservation, and understanding of the roles of trees in the carbon cycle. Despite this high value, forest carbon projects can be very expensive to implement. Barriers to participation include size feasibility limits, risk of loss due to fire or other disturbance, and costs associated with registration, inventory, and verification.

Want to learn more? Click here to visit our “Frequently Asked Questions” page. Or email us today if you have more specific questions.

For those interested in supporting this program, please check out the “Think Local Carbon” tab.

If you are interested in learning more about how this program fits your Sierra Nevada forest property and/or organizational mission, check out our services page, then fill out our “Eligibility Questionnaire” and email/fax/mail it to Christina Prestella today.