Owenga Reserve, Chatham Islands
Forest Type - Indigenous
Emission Reductions
2,384 tCO2 removed annually
Start Date - 1995
Project Type - Reforestation
1,015 hectares
Standard - ETS Permanent Forestry (PP89)
Owenga Station is the largest private conservation reserve on the Chatham Islands. More than 1,000 hectares of land have been covenanted for conservation and carbon sequestration under the Permanent Forestry category in the ETS.
The owners are descended from Moriori, the original inhabitants of the Island, dating back to 1500 AD. The project is critical to the protection and restoration of the indigenous flora and fauna of the Chatham Islands. In addition to being a permanent carbon sink, the forest promotes the recovery of the Chatham Islands’ unique indigenous biodiversity, including rare bird and plant species found nowhere else on earth.
Income from the sale of carbon credits allows the owners to commit increasing resources and land to conservation management, including fencing, pest control, and fire prevention measures such as fire breaks. It also key to enable the landowners to diversify income away from livestock farming.
