We sometimes are asked if we can produce carbon offsets or credits. Alas the answer is no. Here’s why!
To qualify for carbon credit/offset registration, Fifteen Trees would need to:
- plant trees in blocks of huge numbers (160,000 to 800,000),
- on vast land tracks (200 hectares to 1 square kilometre),
- which receives at least 1000mm of rain per annum plus
- the trees must be one of four vegetation types (species with fast growth and high carbon capture potential).
These limits go very much against what we were originally set up to accomplish – supporting communities (mostly rural) with their small restoration and revegetation projects.
Fifteen Trees provide trees for projects across Australia, which means we help plant trees in very specific locations, with the health and long life of the tree paramount. Our plantings are often linear, along rivers, streams and creeks. Our tree planting projects can be quite small (1 to 10 hectares) in size and over an entire tree planting season we only plant around 50,000 trees. If we offered carbon credits/offsets, small community groups would miss out.
If you want to be able to claim official carbon credits/offsets, your best bet is with GreenFleet or Carbon Neutral (both great Australian companies). If you want to have a connection with your trees and those planting your trees … stick with us!
If you would like to know more about sponsoring community tree planting projects and how we can assist you in becoming a more sustainable business, please contact Colleen at <[email protected]>.
Writer: Colleen B. Filippa
With a background in Environmental Science, Colleen is the Founding Director of Fifteen Trees. In 2009, after 20 years in primary, secondary and tertiary education institutions, Colleen left the classroom to start the company. Fifteen Trees is a social enterprise assisting individuals and companies to reduce their carbon footprint by supporting community groups such as Landcare, schools and environmental networks.
