The Carbon+ Eco-Tree Program

Maximizing Powerful Carbon Drawdown

Planting for a better future

Partner with us to grow valuable, renewable lumber, create carbon credits, and improve the productivity of your land for generations to come. World Tree partners with farmers and other landowners in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico to plant and grow the incredibly fast-growing Empress Splendor tree (Paulownia elongata and fortunei and their hybrid).

The Japanese have referred to the Empress tree as “the gold tree” due to its significant economic potential. However, in reality, it is not easy to make money from the tree unless you know how to grow it correctly and can sell the lumber.

World Tree is the largest grower of Empress trees in Latin America. Our team of foresters have the experience needed to maximize the benefits from the tree. We are providing all that experience, as well as the Empress saplings, to our growers for free.

If you are looking for a long term cash-crop, have enough suitable land for the Empress tree, and eligible land for our carbon program, our Eco Tree Carbon+ Program may be a good fit for you.

Download Brochure

How it works

As a grower in the Eco-Tree Program you will receive free trees, training and support from the World Tree team. Your job is to prepare your field, plant and care for the trees under World Tree’s guidance. The trees are ready for harvest in 10 years and World Tree takes care of the harvest, milling and sale of the lumber. Together we share in the profits 50/50.

In addition, as an Eco-Tree farmer in our Carbon+ Program, you may also qualify for a share in any revenue earned from the sale of carbon offsets generated from the trees growing on your land, as well as for the benefits your project provides to local communities and the conservation of biodiversity.

World Tree only accepts a limited number of farmers into the program each year, and we are looking for the best growers with land suitable for the Empress Splendor. In this brochure, you will discover what we look for, and how you can qualify.

Our partners & standards

World Tree is working with Ostrom Climate Solutions (formerly NatureBank), a global carbon offset project development leader. Together we will estimate and monitor the carbon stored in the trees as well as the impact your new land-use project can have in your local area.

We will be using the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and the Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) Standards, administered by Verra, to develop, measure and offset the carbon sequestered by your trees and the social and environmental co-benefits created by your project. Those standards are the most used and recognized voluntary carbon certification systems in the world.

A third party approved by those standards will verify the results and convert the carbon fixed into carbon credits. This carbon can be sold on the international voluntary market to bring profits to you within a few years of planting.

The Workload

The Rewards

Carbon Offset Profits

The trees grow exceptionally fast, but waiting 10 years to have lumber is still a long period without income for many farmers. The carbon offset program aims to pay the farmer well before the tree is cut, and consequently reduce a significant barrier to its decision to participate in the program.

Carbon credits today sell from $5-$20 a ton and the expectations are that prices will increase in the future.

While there are no guarantees, we have reasons to be confident that World Tree will be able to attract premium prices because carbon offsets from tree planting projects tends to be more valuable than other types of carbon projects. Also, new research suggests that demand for carbon will grow 5 to 10 fold over the next decade, causing prices to rise as high as $20-$50/ton CO2e. (Trove-Research-Carbon-Credit-DemandSupply-and-Prices-1-June-2021)

Lumber Profits

As a farmer, you will receive 50% of the profits from the sale of the lumber for the first harvest, and 70% for any subsequent harvests.

Potential profits to you from a well-managed tree farm range between $10,000 and $100,000 /ha on the first harvest. Actually profits will depend on how big your trees get and the quality of the wood proceeded. The higher the quality of the wood, the higher the selling price. The table shows a matrix of potential profits based on these two factors:

Program Criteria

We have a limited number of spaces available for new farmers in our program. If you meet our preliminary selection criteria, we will follow up with a phone call and ultimately a site visit. A soil test will also be done to confirm your land’s suitability to be successful in the program.

Our preliminary requirements are:

  • The farmer must own land and have at least 3.6 hectares (in Costa Rica and Guatemala) or 5.0 hectares (in Mexico) of land that qualifies
  • The farmer must be prepared to plant a minimum of 278 trees per hectare
  • The selected land was not covered by forest or a plantation during the last 10 years
  • The selected land is not within a protected area
Apply Today

Find out if you Qualify

We have a limited number of trees available for the 2022 planting season. Click the button below to be directed to our contact form.

Contact the Farmer Team

Get our Brochure

Download our brochure for more information, details, and answers to the most commonly asked questions.

Download Brochure

Meet the Empress Splendor

Learn more about the Empress Splendor tree and its environmental benefits. Click the button below to be directed to our webpage packed with information about this incredible tree.

Learn More

Disclosure

This above discussion contains forward-looking statements reflecting our current expectations, whose actual outcomes involve risks and uncertainties. Forward looking statements can often be identified by words such as “will,” “can,” “potential,” “intends,” “predicts,” and similar expressions and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the viability, profitability and success of our Empress Splendor tree growing programs. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed or implied in such statements. Actual results and the timing of events may differ materially from those stated in or implied by these forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in the sections titled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our Offering Circular.