Animal Welfare in Carbon Offset Forestry Projects

Tree planting and forest protection carbon offset projects affect wildlife welfare at landscape scale, with outcomes depending heavily on project design and management.

Key Facts

Over 500 million hectares of tree planting are planned globally under various climate commitments
Monoculture tree plantations for carbon provide limited wildlife habitat compared to natural forest
Community forestry projects that protect existing natural forest provide superior wildlife welfare outcomes
Poorly designed reforestation can displace farming communities and convert wildlife habitat to monocultures

Welfare Considerations

Carbon forestry wildlife welfare depends on project design. Natural forest protection through REDD+ and similar mechanisms preserves existing wildlife habitat and the welfare of all species it contains. Tree planting projects vary enormously — native species diverse plantings that restore natural forest structure support wildlife welfare, while monoculture plantations of exotic species may provide less wildlife benefit than the grassland they replace. Badly designed projects that convert natural habitats to plantations can harm wildlife welfare. Carbon offset consumers and investors should scrutinize biodiversity and welfare co-benefits, not just carbon accounting, when selecting offset projects.

What You Can Do

Choose carbon offsets certified under schemes with biodiversity co-benefit verification
Support natural forest protection projects over monoculture tree planting for wildlife welfare
Advocate for biodiversity standards in carbon forestry certification schemes
Engage with carbon offset debates that include wildlife welfare as a legitimate co-benefit criterion