Restoring degraded pasture land into mixed tropical forests
Panama is experiencing alarming rates of primary forest loss each year. What was once a thriving forest, has now been cleared and transformed into intensive cattle ranching land. This conversion has severely disrupted the natural ecosystem, stripping away crucial habitats, depleting soil quality, and contributing to environmental degradation.
To learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals verified by the standard for this project, please check the project's registry link above.
The primary aim of the CO2OL Tropical Mix project is to reforest the 13,385 ha with mostly native tree species reestablishing a mixed tropical forest. Parts of the land are used to fairly produce organic cocoa and timber. This was one of the first Gold Standard certified forestry projects worldwide, and the cocoa production is the very first Gold Standard certified agro-forestry area. In addition, the forest management received FSC certification (Forest Stewardship Council). The cocoa production is also UTZ certified.
Attributing to its sustainable management, the project aspires to ensure biodiversity protection and ecosystem restoration while providing opportunities to locals for sustainable livelihoods. With reforestation and native ecosystem restoration of pasture land being the key activity, the project aims to reforest and conserve 13,385 hectares in Panama. In addition, this is complemented by the environmentally conscious production of timber and cocoa.
