Generating Benefits for Landowners Through Reforestation
Open to Louisiana landowners with NRCS permanent Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) recently closed or scheduled to close.
Our Mission
To restore and protect Louisiana lands while supporting landowners.
Our Goals
Restore marginal cropland in Louisiana into thriving forests with permanent conservation easements held and managed by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Demonstrate that reforestation on Louisiana WRE properties is a cost-effective way to generate financial benefits for landowners.
Enhance the environmental, social, and economic well-being of local communities and landowners.
Create shared revenue opportunities from the restoration efforts for participating landowners.
What Makes REForest Different?
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REF partners with private supporters to provide landowners with a one-time, upfront stewardship incentive payment. REF manages and covers all costs associated with documenting and reporting measured environmental outcomes over the life of the project.
The program supports long-term restoration outcomes that are measured and documented using recognized third-party standards. Certain data must be collected prior to planting to establish baseline conditions. Through REForest Louisiana, REF manages this entire documentation process at no cost to participating landowners. All environmental outcomes generated through REForest Louisiana are permanently assigned to REF under the Green Attributes Agreement to ensure long-term stewardship and program integrity.
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Registration on State of Louisiana LDEQ Water Quality Trading Program by REF – at no cost to landowners.
Ongoing monitoring, tracking, quantifying, verifying, documenting and reporting of long-term restoration outcomes for the life of the project (40+ years) by REF at no cost to landowners.
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Land rights for hunting, recreation, and potential generation of additional income as provided in the NRCS WRE.
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Landowners participating in the REForest Louisiana project will receive a share of the profits from water quality credits generated through reforestation on their land. These credits reflect improvements to surface water quality and are issued annually. As the forest matures, the amount and value of the credits are expected to grow over time.
Additionally, landowners have an opportunity to benefit from future conservation recognition programs related to water quantity, soil health, and habitat improvements, if they become available.
Landowner Benefits
A one-time, upfront, per-acre stewardship incentive
Profit sharing for the value of water quality trading credits.
Land rights for hunting and recreation for generating additional incomes
Conservation easements are held, managed & monitored by NRCS in perpetuity
Ability to participate in future conservation recognition programs, such as for water quantity, soil health, and wildlife habitat improvements, if they become available
Enrollment Requirements
Open to Louisiana landowners with NRCS permanent Wetland Reserve Easements recently closed or scheduled to close and trees have not been planted.
Landowners must sign a Green Attributes Agreement (GAA) with Restore the Earth Foundation (REF). The GAA is subordinate to the terms of the WRE agreement and will go into effect after the WRE is successfully closed. It allows REF to fund and perform the activities required to track, quantify, verify, document, and report environmental and community outcomes generated over the life of the project. The GAA assigns environmental attributes associated with the restoration to REF for program administration purposes.
Landowners must verify the land has not been forested in the past 10 years.
Must be owners of privately held land.
Frequently Asked Questions
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There are four enrollment requirements to participate in this program:
Landowners must have a recently closed or scheduled to close permanent NRCS Wetland Reserve Easement, and have not yet planted trees on the easement.
Landowners must sign a Green Attributes Agreement with Restore the Earth Foundation (REF). It allows REF to fund and perform the activities required to track, quantify, verify, document, and report environmental and community outcomes generated over the life of the project. The GAA assigns environmental attributes associated with the restoration to REF for program administration purposes.
Landowners must verify the land has not been forested in the past 10 years.
Must be owners of privately held land.
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Focused on reforestation of marginal cropland across Louisiana.
REF is partnered with NRCS who are uniquely positioned to establish, hold and manage permanent conservation easements.
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A one-time, upfront per acre stewardship incentive payment from REF.
Profit sharing for the value of water quality trading credits. These credits reflect improvements to surface water quality and are issued annually. As the forest matures, the amount and value of the credits are expected to grow over time.
Land rights for recreation and generating additional revenues, e.g. hunting leases.
Land is reforested at no cost to the landowner.
Documentation of project outcomes through recognized third-party standards – at no cost to landowners.
Ongoing monitoring, tracking, quantifying, verifying, documenting and reporting of long-term restoration outcomes for the life of the project (40+ years) by REF at no cost to landowners.
Easements held, managed and monitored by NRCS in perpetuity.
Opportunity to benefit from future conservation recognition programs related to water quantity, soil health, or habitat improvements, if they become available.
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The plan you develop with NRCS identifies the activities necessary to restore, enhance, protect, maintain, and manage the easement. You continue to control access to the land – and may lease the land – for hunting, fishing, and other undeveloped recreational activities.
At any time, you may request that additional activities be evaluated to determine if they are compatible uses for the site.
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Once your eligibility has been determined, NRCS will discuss with you the eligible area and surrounding areas necessary to enroll to restore and sustain the ecosystem.
The objectives are to reduce greenhouse gases, improve wildlife habitat, water quality and groundwater recharge, reduce flooding and mitigate disaster damages.
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At Restore the Earth Foundation, we assume 100% of the costs for documentation of project outcomes through recognized third-party standards validation. Additionally, we perform ongoing monitoring, tracking, quantifying, verifying, documenting and reporting of long-term restoration outcomes for the life of the project (40+ years). In our experience, these costs can range from $100-to-$2,500 per acre depending on the size of the project.
You receive benefits that would not be possible or economically feasible without the support of Restore the Earth Foundation and its partnership with the NRCS.
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A successful reforestation project will restore land back to its healthy ecological state, and generate environmental benefits, such as improved air and water quality and quantity, enhanced soil quality, restored native vegetation, and increased wildlife and biodiversity. These benefits are also known as green attributes.
In addition to generating green attributes, REF’s reforestation projects also provide social and economic co-benefits such as job creation, community resilience, and recreation.