WILMINGTON, N.C., Jan. 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Green Assets, Inc., a leading forest carbon offset developer, has been awarded carbon offset credits for its forest conservation project of more than 4,400 acres of land owned and managed by world-renowned Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina.
The project represents South Carolina’s first carbon credits to be issued through the California Air Resources Board (ARB) compliance offset program for U.S. forests. ARB offset credits are issued to projects that meet specific requirements and represent verified greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions or removal enhancements. Carbon credits are a component of national and international attempts to mitigate the growth in concentrations of greenhouse gases. One carbon credit is equal to one ton of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere.
This initial issuance of credits by the Air Resources Board amounts to 162,551 carbon credits. Using the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, these credits offset the emissions of more than 34,000 cars over a year’s time.
Widely considered to be one of the “seven wonders of the Carolinas,” Brookgreen Gardens has been named among the top 10 public gardens in the United States and is a National Historic Landmark.
“We are proud to be early participants in the new carbon economy,” said Bob Jewell, President and CEO of Brookgreen Gardens. “This project is wholly consistent with our mission of environmental sustainability and historic preservation, and it recognizes Brookgreen’s stewardship of natural areas for more than 85 years.”
The Green Assets-Brookgreen Gardens partnership will help protect Brookgreen’s forestlands, comprising more than 4,400 acres of pristine southern coastal habitat southeast of Myrtle Beach, S.C. The ARB’s protocol ensures that the most sustainable methods of natural forest management are implemented and maintained throughout the subject property.
“Green Assets is privileged to collaborate with Brookgreen Gardens in implementing an Improved Forest Management project in accordance with the ARB’s U.S. Forest Offset Protocol,” said Chris Newton, CEO of Green Assets. “We’re proud to be recognized as a leader in carbon offset project design and development, and we look forward to helping other landowners around the country realize the environmental and economic benefits that carbon programs offer.”
“The Green Assets team worked diligently to meet the rigorous demands of the ARB protocol while maintaining a high level of clear communication with Brookgreen in the process,” said Mr. Jewell. “I’m confident that we have successfully created the highest quality forest carbon offsets available in this growing market.”
Source: Green Assets, Inc.
