Owners of Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro forests prepare project to obtain carbon credits.

Four carbon inventories have been carried out in Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro using 20 x 50 m plots. The inventories allow us to know how much carbon these forests store. Carbon that, in case of being released into the atmosphere (by deforestation, fires), would merge with Oxygen, resulting in the fearsome CO2 (carbon dioxide), one of the main Greenhouse Gases (GHG), one of the main causes of Climate Change.

To prevent this from happening, large companies, international financial agencies, and international foundations are willing to "compensate" the efforts of forest owners who are committed to their conservation, with the delivery of carbon credits which are sold in the Voluntary Market of Carbon, a totally private compensation mechanism.

This requires the rigorous preparation of a carbon project, which will be audited by an international company, which will be responsible for accepting (or rejecting) the study carried out. If the internal auditor gives the "go", then the owners can receive the bonds, and not before.

The owners who participate in Chiriqui and Bocas del Toro, now add an extension of 1,241 hectares. and 2, 048.94 Mts. of reductase of primary and secondary forests in a zone of life characterized by the Very Humid Tropical Forest (bmh-T), with an average annual precipitation of 4,000 mm. and heights higher than 1,900 meters. These are primary forests, with huge trees in a habitat rich in flora and fauna.

The samplings were carried out in 4 sites (see attached map):

One in the Province of Bocas del Toro, Admiral District, Corregimiento de Nance de Riscó, Community of Uri, on the property of Paulino Castrillón,

Two in the Province of Chiriquí, District of Bugaba, Corregimiento de Volcán, Community of Cotito, in the properties of Cruz Mojica, and Gabriel Mojica.

Finally, another in the Province of Chiriqui, District of Boquete, Los Naranjos Township, a community of Bajo Mono on the property of Ronnie Pitti.

The technical file is currently prepared so that the Spanish validation company AENOR, proceed to the corresponding certification.

Do you want to participate as a partner in this project? Communicate to the email erasmo.proyectocarbono@gmail.com

COMMUNITY EMBERA -WOUNAAN IS INCORPORATED TO THE NATIONAL CARBON PROJECT

Arimae is an indigenous Panamanian community that incorporates two distinct cultures: Embera and Wounaan. It is located in the Collective Lands of Arimae / Embera Puru, 210 kilometers from the capital city, oriented to the edge of the Pan-American Highway, to the Northeast of Panama. In administrative terms, it is part of the Corregimiento of Santa Fe, District of Chepigana, Province of Darién.

On December 10, 2015, after 40 years of fighting, the 1,300 inhabitants (220 families) of Arimae and Emberá Puru received the title of their collective lands, by the National Land Administration Authority (ANATI). It is 8,191 hectares, of which 4,000 ha are estimated. correspond to primary forest.

Considering the favorable conditions created with the granting of title to the collective lands, the Local Congress of the Community of Arimae, of Emberá-Wounaan Collective Lands, agreed to design and implement, with the support of APRONAD, the "Climate Project, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) for the Voluntary Carbon Market (MVC) ".

The Agreement establishes "... prepare the technical, legal and administrative documentation necessary to register a Project according to the CCBA methodology, in the VCS Standard (Verified Carbon Standard), using at all times the principle of prior, free and informed consultation and the participatory techniques of Popular Education ". The decision was adopted unanimously by the General Assembly of the Local Congress of the Community of Arimae.

The noted biologist Heraclio Herrera held a participatory community workshop, to identify on a map drawn up by the participants, the key aspects related to forest conservation and threatened wildlife. In addition, the alternatives for self-managed community development were analyzed. All this with a view to the income that will be generated by the sale of carbon credits.

Do you want to participate as a partner in this project? Communicate to the email erasmo.proyectocarbono@gmail.com.