Carbon & Ecosystem Services

LandVest recognizes the added value that environmental commodities and ecosystem services can bring to real estate holdings. Through the joint efforts of its Real Estate Consulting Group, Timberlands Division and affiliated project partners, LandVest has expanded its capabilities to include the evaluation of these emerging value opportunities for our clients. Segments of this ecosystem marketplace include:

Carbon Offsets & Credits which can be derived from a variety of sources as part of regional and global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Farmland and forest projects that meet certain approved standards or protocols are viable carbon offset options that result in tradable environmental commodities. Additional carbon offsets or credits are created through non-forest or non-agricultural projects that capture and/or store greenhouse gas emissions as well as projects that utilize renewable energy sources.

Mitigation or Conservation Banking can be utilized as an option for properties that don’t have traditional development value but includes important biodiversity or ecosystem characteristics. Many development projects need to meet mitigation requirements that can be met through the purchase of mitigation or conservation credits.

LandVest is well positioned to provide:

• initial advisory services
• overview of current and prospective market conditions and opportunities
• baseline inventories
• modeling of alternatives and valuations of models
• management of permitting and verifications and/or certifications

Through sound planning and sequencing of land management decisions, it is possible for property owners to "stack" the values of environmental commodities, ecosystem services, conversation easements, and other land uses to maximize real estate asset values or tax benefits to property owners.