Chestnut Carbon has achieved a significant environmental milestone by planting over 17 million trees across 30,000 acres in the Southeastern U.S., marking the largest afforestation project in the country listed on the prestigious Gold Standard® registry. This monumental effort, which began in 2022, has now been verified as the first U.S.-based afforestation initiative to be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) under its Biodiversity Conservation program, ensuring long-term ecological integrity alongside carbon removal.
The Chestnut Sustainable Restoration Project is on track to meet its ambitious goal of reforesting hundreds of thousands of acres by 2030. The project, which now spans an area more than twice the size of Manhattan, focuses on restoring native, biodiverse forests that are crucial for carbon sequestration and ecological health.
“30,000 acres planted is a significant step towards our goal of reforesting hundreds of thousands of acres by 2030,” said Sarah Ford, Chief Forestry Officer at Chestnut. “This milestone highlights our commitment to revitalizing underperforming land with a long-term vision for environmental stewardship and community well-being.”
The afforestation initiative offers measurable environmental benefits, including improved air and water quality, as well as enhanced wildlife habitats. In addition, it plays a critical role in boosting local economies. For instance, 3,000 acres of the project are located in Arkansas, creating local job opportunities through collaborations with regional businesses like ArborGen Nursery and DDK Forestry & Real Estate.
In addition to its ecological and community impact, Chestnut Carbon has secured major corporate partnerships, underscoring the growing demand for verified carbon credits and nature-based solutions. Notably, it has signed a 25-year agreement with Microsoft to deliver nearly 8 million tonnes of carbon credits, the largest of its kind in the U.S. to date. Other notable partners include Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team, reinforcing the increasing corporate shift toward supporting high-quality, long-term carbon removal projects.
“This milestone is a fantastic illustration of how the carbon market can deliver for nature,” said Margaret Kim, CEO of Gold Standard. “Forestry and other land use projects have a critical role to play in delivering high-integrity carbon removals while restoring ecosystems and supporting communities.”
Chestnut Carbon’s commitment to achieving Gold Standard certification will further enable the generation of verified carbon credits, helping companies, organizations, and governments meet their sustainability and net-zero targets. This project exemplifies the potential of large-scale afforestation efforts to tackle climate change while promoting environmental restoration and economic resilience.
