TYPES OF OFFSETS
What Is The Difference Between Purchasing Carbon Credits & Purchasing Native Trees?
There are two common offsets in New Zealand:
1. Voluntary carbon offsets through native trees
2. Carbon credits through the emissions trading scheme.
Research & recent news clearly shows the negative effects of pine plantations for our biodiversity and environment therefore Carbon Positive offers offsetting with native trees.
By offsetting through voluntary native tree planting programs, you are supporting not only our biodiversity but also our local communities.
Voluntary Carbon Offsets Through Native Trees
Native trees are planted in New Zealand by an independent provider in a permanent forest, using calculations from government emissions data. Offset calculations are based on 100% native trees (no shrubs) that must be able to reach a minimum height of 5m, with sequestration measured for the first 50 years of growth. Research of New Zealand sequestration shows that 2.3 native trees can sequester a Tonne of CO2e emissions over the first 50 years. Growth rates then slow after 50 years with trees that breakdown being replaced by the regrowth in the same forest. Tree growth rates vary across regional sites according to temperature, soil, site quality, rainfall, types of trees planted, and the management of the planting process. To mitigate variables we only calculate emissions based on the first 50 years of tree growth. The additional growth rates after year 50 are used as margin for variables/losses. Our native trees are grown at the planting site & planted by volunteers, which helps prevent emission leakage. Our trees are additional grown from seedlings according to our funding demand and are planted in locations that are not already counted by other offsets
Our offsets are a custom tailored & independently audited offset programme in partnership with CVNZ, following the Ministry for the Environment voluntary offset guidance which includes the following criteria.
1. Information on the mitigation must be transparent, clearly
stated, and publicly available;
2. Mitigation must be real, measurable and verified;
3. Mitigation must be additional to business-as-usual activity;
4. Mitigation must not be double used;
5. Mitigation must not result in leakage of emissions elsewhere;
6. Mitigation must be permanent.
Carbon Credits Through The Government's Emission Trading Scheme
Carbon Credits are purchased through the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). Unfortunately the majority of carbon credits are created from exotic pine plantations.
If your industry does not fall into the ETS obligated criteria then you can choose how you voluntarily offset your carbon emissions through one of our approved native tree projects. Some New Zealand industries are obligated to file returns and purchase from the ETS rather than purchase native trees. More can be found about which industries are obligated emitters at
OFFSET CARBON
Ready to make a real difference to the environment & offset your carbon emissions?
NZ Native Tree Planting Projects ($29.9+gst per Tonne of CO2e)
Purchase trees from our selected & approved native tree revegetation projects in New Zealand (see our selected projects below). The price covers the sourcing, ground preparation, fertiliser, planting, maintenance, and ensuring that the program meets Carbon Positive's offsetting criteria (see top of page). A certificate of purchase is provided with each purchase. Click here to purchase native trees
Carbon Credits (currently around $60 per Tonne of CO2e)
For obligated emitters you can purchase carbon credits from one of the following suppliers:
NATIVE TREE PROJECTS
PAPAKURA STREAM PROJECT
The Papakura Stream is a 63 km long stretch of water that winds its way across South Auckland from Whitford in the east to the Manakau Harbour in the west.
The stream has a catchment area of 4,100 hectares that was once covered in indigenous forest – including kahikatea swamp but most of this habitat has been lost as farming, industry and settlements spread. Tree cover is now extremely low in the catchment.
Without vegetation to help filter water before it enters the waterway, the quality of the upper Papakura Stream has deteriorated significantly.
Through the Papakura Stream Restoration Project, we’re improving the water quality of the stream, increasing tree cover in the catchment and creating a green corridor that runs across South Auckland. Planting native trees provides food and habitat for kākā, korimako, kereru, tūī and our only native mammal, the pekapeka (long-tailed bat), a rarely seen species which is known to reside in the upper reaches of the catchment.
The Papakura Stream Restoration Project aims to achieve this through:
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Fencing sections of unprotected stream to keep livestock out and to protect plantings
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Removing invasive weeds which are choking the waterways and threatening biodiversity in the area
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Restoring riparian margins, hills and wetlands to link native forest remnants with the stream
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Water quality testing
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Landowner and community education
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Building a native plant nursery to supply eco-sourced native trees to the project
By supporting the Papakura Stream Restoration with your native tree offsets, you help bring back native forests, protect treasured wildlife, restore the native ecosystem, and strengthen the bond between people and place.