Local Forestry, Global Investments
In an effort to better represent projects across several important sectors, we are rebranding as Terra1 Capital Resources. Its still about One Planet, with an eye towards environmental forestry, clean technologies, and sustainable agriculture.
Stay tuned as we announce other news shortly!
Thermal Farm, GETG’s first acquired property, is managed by Aqua Farming Tech, a 17 year producer
California – In the semi-desert and fertile crescents of the Coachella Valley and not far from the city of Palm Springs on the shores of the Salton Sea, a cluster of farms have been providing California markets with fresh seafood for years. Limited water licenses have been tapped, enabling flows of geothermally warmed water perfect for raising tropical and semi-tropical fish. Tilapia, catfish, sable, and shrimp teem in the carefully monitored on-shore tanks that mark a California aquaculture operation.
In recent years, the spiking costs of energy, coupled with cutbacks in consumer spending, have made it difficult to run these farms at optimal margins. Now, one company is seeing an opportunity and acquiring select farms with the intention of becoming, quite literally, a big fish in a small pond. Global Energy Technology Group has identified a niche opportunity to couple aquaculture with solar energy generation and biofuel crops, both of which enjoy ideal conditions in the southern California sunshine. Now, the company is about to go public, creating a special window of opportunity for private shareholders. See the company’s filing on Nasdaq.
Contact TreePower for more information on obtaining equity positions in the company.
This is taken directly from ForestCarbonPortal’s article of collected comments from leaders in the forest carbon industry, speaking about their views and hopes for the year ahead. Visit their page to get the full comments, plus links to all companies quoted below.
David Rokoss, ERA Ecosystem Restoration Associates: “The continued progress of REDD…where additional project validations/verifications will demonstrate REDD as viable and robust…”
Mike Vitt, 3GreenTree Ecosystem Services: “I think the biggest theme in the space in 2012 will be California leadership into creating a compliance market for NA forest projects, which will break critical ground for WCI (i.e. BC, ON, QC action) and set clear demand and pricing…”
Steve Ruddell, CarbonVerde LLC: “Agricultural Roundtable Standards will be used to take deforestation out of supply chains for corporate agricultural commodity buyers, while providing additional revenue for producers from carbon credits…”
Jonathan Shopley, The CarbonNeutral Company: “First sales of RMUs Impact of first verified REDD+ credits on price and demand in VCM — whether fears in the market that REDD+ will flood and kill prices comes true..?”
Mary Grady, American Carbon Registry: “Based on 2011 announcements of Norfolk Southern’s investment in offsets from ACR-registered GreenTrees project and Chevrolet’s investment in the ACR-registered National Forest Foundation San Juan National Forest project, we expect to see a marked increase of registered U.S. and international projects…”
The International Forest Carbon Association: “While the forest carbon market will remain difficult against the backdrop international economic and financial weakness in 2012, the development of national and regional compliance schemes will see growing demand for forest carbon assets, particularly in Australia and, dependent on further rule-making, California and Quebec…”
Nick Oaks, Global Canopy Program: “The voluntary carbon markets are likely to keep growing in 2012, mostly thanks to growing interest in REDD, which will also have an increasing proportion within the voluntary carbon markets…”
Gena Gammie, Forest Trends: “As the first REDD VCUs enter the market, and as many more big projects are expected to be verified in 2013, the market’s response to a big influx in supply will be in the news…”
The kicker, if perhaps gloomy, does point to the need for human societies and markets to recognize the global need for healthy forests and sustainable forest-based resources, and value them accordingly, regardless of the inaction or backsliding at the political level:
“Who will buy? There is more clarity on the role of markets to curb deforestation…but who will buy future credits if national emission reduction goals are so weak..?” -Anonymous
Silviculture refers to the science and practice of establishing and maintaining healthy forests. This post describes it in terms of the different forestry-related jobs that fall under its umbrella.
Cone-picking: The beginning of the process. Usually done in the winter months, ripe cones are identified and collected, to supply seedling nurseries with a healthy stock of seeds for germination.
Tree-planting: The most well-recognized Silviculture job, tree-planting is a labour intensive program of physically reforesting harvested landscapes with a variety of tree species. Generally trees are selected for their commercial value and suitability for the particular landscape to be planted. Tree-planting, in spite of its ‘green-jobs’ image, is most often employed in connection with clearcut harvested sites.
Spacing/thinning: Once a reforested area has achieved a certain average tree height and/or density of trees, its important to remove trees to ensure a healthy stand. No different than thinning the carrot patch, except with a chainsaw.
Brushing: Somewhat similar to thinning, this involves removing under-brush from the young tree stand, to reduce competition for light, nutrients etc.
Wildfire fighting and controlled burns: Though wildfires are a naturally-occuring event, regions that have a big commercial forestry economy will invest millions every year in stopping fires from burning through forests. Recently, ground-level controlled burns have become a more popular method of allowing fire to do its regenerative work under the canopy, as well as to help reduce dry fuels, especially near populated areas.
Herbicide application: Chemical spraying is commonly used to control competing foliage. A cheaper alternative to brushing by hand.
Harvesting: Within the industry, it is the harvesting, or logging, stage of the process that defines which silviculture approach will be taken in a particular stand. These include clearcutting, shelterwood, and selection.
Further Resources:
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
Thinking of planting? Interesting read full of tips and tricks at HardcoreTreeplanters.com
Principles and Mission of the IFCA
It was only a matter of time before the International Forest Carbon Association was born. A global body, it provides a unified front for those involved with the new frontier of forest preservation for climate benefits. In June 2011, in the state of Texas, members of the legal, environmental, business and government circles formed the first board of directors for the IFCA.
With a record setting pace of project development, new projects and number of forest carbon credits trading in the international markets, it was time to ensure a strong, unified membership-based international group was available to help ensure forward progress on issues related to the development of an effective, ethical, and profitable forest carbon industry.
2011 was named International Year of Forests by the United Nation’s Forum on Forests.
The four primary objectives of the UNFF Forests for People campaign are: a) Reverse forest loss, b) Enhance forest-based benefits, c) Increase sustainably-managed forests, and d) Mobilize financial resources.
Much of this work is focused in the Developing World, where the rate of deforestation is the highest, and the impacts of forests and forest loss on the population are the most critical.
So what was accomplished by the initiative in the year of 2011? The main context centered around independently organized events worldwide, including contests, exhibits, field trips, tree plantings, conferences and publications. The year got off to a slow start, with the first event registered at the Forum’s website not until June 1. September to November saw an substantial jump in events, as well as a high profile at the COP17 events in Durban.
2011 also witnessed the death of Wangari Matthai, a revolutionary forest activist that helped to spearhead the planting of millions of trees in Kenya, sending a powerful message that reverberated globally and for generations.
To close the year, the Forum is publishing the book, Forests for People, a richly illustrated text featuring the work of 75 sustainable forest management professionals. A number of other useful publications, such as State of the World’s Forests 2011 (which was released to kick off the year), are available at the UNFF website.
The Forum’s work is ongoing, for example at its scheduled UNFF 10 session in Istanbul, Turkey, in the spring of 2013.
For those paying attention to this, a round-up of blogs following the climate change developments at Durban-COP17.
EKO/ECO, on REDD:
“Over the weekend, we saw the creation of two key documents: the SBSTA decision on reference levels and the formulation of that decision as an agenda item for this week’s high-level talks. Several delegates said the text provided enough guidance on reference levels for developing countries to begin moving forward, even though it fell short of the most optimistic expectations.”
The Guardian’s Caroline Lucas: “As politicians, negotiators, campaigners and journalists steel themselves for the crucial second week of the COP17 talks in Durban, it’s easy to feel pessimistic about this latest instalment of international negotiations. The build-up to recent UN meetings has been tainted by efforts to play down expectations, while each session seems to bring about little in the way of real progress.”
COP17-Climate Change Talks in Durban: “As world leaders struggle to reach agreement at the COP17 negotiations, the COP17 civil society committee (C17) is issuing a rallying call to all South Africans to join civil society, organised labour, faith-based organisations, artists and musicians in a peaceful march through Durban on Saturday 3rd December.”
EarthDay Network: “Upon arriving, we were disappointed to see the lack of progress in the climate negotiations by the international community, but were incredibly impressed by some of the youth participating in the conference. Of the many speeches we heard, by far the most engaging was a call to action by a young 15 year-old girl from Africa, who demanded that the older generations act now on climate change and not allow their environmental debt to be passed on to their children.”
Conference of Polluters 17: “After 3 long days of intense talks on saving the world, the corporations have come to a solution that solves all the climates problems; Markets!”
Green Party of Canada’s Elizabeth May: “Durban is a lovely place. I have never been here before and I will probably see nothing but the beach in front of my hotel as I walk to the bus stop for the shuttle to the convention centre. This, COP17, is stop 17 on a marathon of inaction called global climate talks. Last year Cancun, now Durban and next year Qatar. And for the last 5 Conferences of the Parties (COPs) it is hard to find any evidence of progress.”
Cape Town Green Map: “If you are looking for policy’s wonks view of COP17 so far apply elsewhere. The state of the negotiations, the scope of REDD, or REDD+, or REDD++ or construction of a Greenfund are not what you are going to find here.”
Victoria BC- The Ancient Forest Alliance, an intrepid group of old-growth forest defenders and explorers, are pleased to share their latest find. The Mossy Maples Grove, located near Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley, is truly a scene from an epic fantasy film. Dubbed Fangorn Forest, from Tolkien’s Middle Earth, the grove is unusual in that it is old-growth Broadleaf, or deciduous forest. Most examples we are familiar with are of the Evergreen or coniferous variety. Huge leaves and literally tonnes of moss…
Visit the Ancient Forest Alliance photo gallery for stunning images of the Mossy Maples Grove. If in Victoria BC on December 5 please treat yourself to slideshow and fundraiser event featuring these magnificent trees.
The View from Elkington
As the global economy churns sideways, its taking a toll on the investment world. On a planet of increasing instability, economically, politically and ecologically, “safe-haven investing” begins to take on an entirely deeper meaning. A place of security for not only one’s money, but located in a peaceful region of a stable country. Richly provided with not only natural amenities, but natural necessities. Surrounded by friendly neighbors. At the same time, this safe-haven investment should provide rock-solid preservation of value, with a strong ability to generate good additional returns. Interested?
One such opportunity now exists on British Columbia’s Vancouver Island. The Elkington Forest project, formed around 2006, was born of the Elkington Family’s wish to see their heritage forest property managed in perpetuity in a sustainable fashion, and then some. Through the collaboration of several non-profit and business partners, a covenant for ‘light-on-the-land’ development was placed on the 900+ acre property.
Now, in 2011, a very special opportunity exists for both potential home-owners and equity investors, to be a part of the evolving Living Forests story. TreePower Services is pleased to help present the Elkington Forest opportunity to the World, and can introduce investors and land-buyers to project principal Doug Makaroff. This project is the second for Living Forest Planning Consultants Ltd, showcasing how safe havens of forestry, community, and ethical investing can be realized.
Where is the World going?
Despite the continued robust performance of clean energy, alternative forestry, and the emerging carbon markets over the past five years, ‘leaders’ are failing at this crucial moment to put their shoulders into the push for a new low-carbon economy. We are deeply disoriented by the possibility that globalization is suddenly becoming a giant (and unsustainable) black hole.
Why are we facing the spectre of a global economic collapse? Too much industry and consumption based on useless and often harmful stuff, fueled by easy (and even toxic) credit/debt. Nothing short of a wholesale economic paradigm shift, including the transfer of the majority of fossil fuel subsidies to cleantech, a committment to ecological abundance and ‘greening’ the resource base, is required.
Instead, last week the EU announces that it still will not accept forestry-based carbon trading units in the third phase of its emissions trading scheme. This week, prices for carbon credits sink to an all-time low, driven by the sentiment that somehow we can’t possibly afford to invest in the pursuit of the one thing that could refire the global economy: a liveable future on Earth. However, this article at RenewableEnergyWorld explains how that may actually be a good thing.
The anti-environment bias of FoxNews et al is gleefully reporting that Google is cutting its green energy efforts. In truth, its only ending its ‘RE cheaper than coal’ research, but still committed to investing in renewables (more than $800 million worth, thank you Google).
Robert Kennedy on Huffington Post: ‘Big Carbon’s Sock Puppets…’
Still on the hapless US, the impending expiry of the US tax credits for renewable energy, in a climate of fiscal anxiety due to the failure of its government to wrangle out a debt plan, leaves prospects for that industry’s to-date inspiring continued growth in limbo. 
And the current sentiment going into Durban/COP 17, the South African climate conference, elicits not much in the way of confidence.
I guess this is what is termed, in the lexicon of pinhead analysts, a ‘speed bump’. Let us hope so. The price for failure is much higher than just ’stagflation’, horrible as that is. I know its hard to pull our collective heads out of our asses, but we must keep at it.
Lots of links to more climate change cartoons at this 2008 article from The Climate Institute.
