News Summary
NativState has launched a significant carbon credit program covering over 63,000 acres of forestland in Louisiana and Mississippi. Partnering with TotalEnergies, this 10-year initiative aims to generate $100 million annually, focusing on reducing carbon emissions and promoting ecological sustainability. Over 280 landowners are already involved, implementing sustainable forestry practices. This program not only benefits landowners with carbon credits and timber revenues but also addresses critical environmental challenges like biodiversity and water quality.
Monroe, Louisiana – NativState, an Arkansas-based company, has finalized a significant carbon credit program that encompasses over 63,000 acres of forestland in northeastern Louisiana and western Mississippi. This initiative marks a new 10-year agreement with TotalEnergies, a prominent French petrochemical and natural gas exporter that operates in the Baton Rouge and southwest Louisiana regions. The program not only consolidates small to medium-sized parcels for carbon offset but also aims to generate substantial ecological and economic benefits for local landowners.
The deal involves the sale of carbon credits to TotalEnergies, which has committed to investing $100 million annually to projects designed to yield at least 5 million metric tons of carbon credits each year by 2030. This agreement aligns with TotalEnergies’ strategy to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions through initiatives such as permanent underground carbon storage.
Stuart Allen, CEO of NativState, has expressed optimism about the continued interest in carbon credit sales from large industrial companies, despite changes in U.S. environmental policies that may shift focus away from climate regulations. To date, more than 280 landowners from Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee have joined the TotalEnergies agreement, and they will implement sustainable management practices over a 40-year plan. These practices will allow for reduced timber harvesting while also enabling some degree of selective harvesting.
Landowners participating in this initiative are poised to earn royalties from the carbon credits while also benefiting from timber revenues. This partnership represents NativState’s first large-scale carbon credit transaction following a series of earlier successful agreements that have already begun generating revenue for Louisiana’s landowners.
The announcement of this program comes at a crucial time, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has indicated its plan to rescind the endangerment finding for greenhouse gases linked to climate change, fostering a regulatory framework aimed at boosting energy production and decreasing consumer prices under the Trump administration. While these regulatory alterations may dampen interest from smaller U.S. companies in carbon credits, corporate interest remains robust, particular among international firms looking for sustainable investment opportunities.
NativState is collaborating on 13 long-term forest management plans that span a total of 247,000 acres across Louisiana and three additional states. The carbon savings generated from these initiatives will be sold as voluntary credits, independently verified through third-party audits. This structure ensures the integrity and credibility of the carbon offsets provided.
The environmental benefits of this carbon credit program are extensive. It promotes forest conservation, which contributes to filtering agricultural runoff and mitigating downstream flooding, thereby nurturing local ecosystems. The regions contained within these forests serve as habitats for a variety of endangered species and vibrant wildlife populations, including migratory birds.
NativState is utilizing the Improved Forest Management (IFM) methodology established by the American Carbon Registry (ACR) for quantifying the carbon credits generated through these forest management practices. The overarching goal is to enhance biodiversity, improve water quality, and achieve balanced land use through sustainable forestry practices.
Currently, NativState oversees over 450,000 acres of timberland and is engaged in several initiatives that participate in ACR projects aimed at generating carbon credits. The company’s efforts not only focus on economic gains for landowners but also emphasize the importance of preserving the natural environment for future generations.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Carbon Credits
- Google Search: carbon credits
- Southeastern Sidelines Scientist
- Wikipedia: Carbon credits
- NativState Releases First 400,000 Carbon Credits
- Google Scholar: carbon finance
- NativState Completes Verification and Sale of Carbon Credits
- Encyclopedia Britannica: carbon offsets
- Louisiana Carbon Dioxide Dehydration and Compression Facility
- Google News: carbon management
Author: STAFF HERE NEWORLEANS WRITER
NEW ORLEANS STAFF WRITER The NEW ORLEANS STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERENewOrleans.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as French Quarter Festival, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and Essence Music Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce and Greater New Orleans, Inc., plus leading businesses in energy, healthcare, and education that power the local economy such as Entergy, Ochsner Health, and Tulane University. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREShreveport.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Louisiana's dynamic landscape.
