Tambopata-Bahuaja Biodiversity Reserve

📍Peru

About

The project was developed as a means of combatting deforestation and forest degradation in the Tambopata-Bahuaja Biodiversity Reserve, by working alongside communities to build a local economy in balance with nature.

The project's activities promote the adoption of alternative livelihoods to resource extraction, primarily the development of a successful organic, Fair Trade cacao production enterprise.

The project area includes the Tambopata National Reserve and the Bahuaja Sonene National Park, which are both severely threatened by illegal mining, logging, slash-and-burn agriculture, and infrastructure development.

The project at a glance

1 million

trees planted

591,851 ha

of land restored

3.9 million

tons of CO₂ avoided

632 jobs

supported

+30 species

of HCV protected

27% of farmers

are women

Why we chose it

A biodiversity hotspot is a place on Earth that is both biologically irreplaceable and deeply threatened: it must have at least 1,500 vascular plants as endemics (i.e., a high percentage of plant life found nowhere else on the planet) as well as 30% or less of its original natural vegetation.

Biodiversity hotspots represent only 2.4% of the Earth’s land surface, while supporting nearly 60% of the world’s plant, bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species as endemics. There are only 36 regions on Earth that qualify as hotspots, and 2 of those are the Tambopata National Reserve and the Bahuaja-Sosene National Park!

By helping local farmers transition to sustainable cacao production in the margins of the protected area, degraded land is being restored to relieve deforestation pressures and provide local communities with forest-friendly and sustainable livelihoods.

Ecological impact

Improving forest protection measures through employing additional rangers and facilitating biodiversity research.

Protection and monitoring of High Conservation Value (HCV) species health and numbers in the forest like the Giant Otter, Jaguar, Blue Macaw and Giant Armadillo.

Community impact

Providing farmers with technical assistance & inputs for agroforestry.

Community engagement on forest conservation, empowerment, and social inclusivity.

Strengthening the cocoa cooperative & building the processing facility.

Implementing partners

The Asociación para la Investigación y Desarollo Integral (AIDER) is our partner on the ground, a Peruvian NGO focused on environmental conservation and sustainable development.

Verification bodies

🌿 Real. The Tambopata-Bahuaja project is validated by the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS project ID 1067) and the Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Standard (CCB) to the gold level for both biodiversity and for climate change adaptation.
💝 Additional. The project area is a biodiversity hotspot, which means it has been recognized as one of the most environmentally threatened areas on Earth. Although there has been a historically low rate of deforestation, the improved access by the recently paved South Interoceanic Road is increasing migration, expanding land-use change, and accelerating forest degradation.

Carbon finance makes it financially viable to protect such a vast area of rainforest, creating long-lasting incentives for local communities to protect and properly manage their natural resources.
📈 Based on Clear, Realistic, and Credible Baselines. The baseline scenario includes an increasing trend of deforestation and forest degradation, estimated at 82,643 ha throughout 10 years. A relevant part of this scenario is the rise of illegal gold mining prompted by the rising gold prices. This mining is highly pollutant and has a higher incidence in the areas adjacent to rivers.
🔒 Free of Leakage. By demonstrating a scalable model of environmentally and socially sustainable land use, the project creates a productive barrier against encroaching threats to the region’s natural and human capital. The risk of displacing damaging behaviors elsewhere is very low.
🗿 Durable. The Tambopata-Bahuaja Biodiversity Reserve is located in a region historically free of fires, so the most frequent permanence risks of the vast majority of forestry projects are circumvented by default. Additionally, local communities, mostly small-scale farmers and three indigenous communities - Palma Real, Sonene, and Infierno - play a pivotal role in forest monitoring, preventing any forms of illegal encroachment.
☝️ Exclusive. Cosora retires each credit from the market when you purchase it.
🎁 With Co-Benefits. Check "Ecological Impact" and "Community Impact" sections above.
✨ Transparent. The Project Description report can be accessed here.