Punjab Native Afforestation Pilot
Fifty hectares of native forest on degraded land in Punjab, designed from the first survey to be validated and verified under Verra's Verified Carbon Standard. This page is written for the people who will check it: buyers' due-diligence teams, funders, validators, and land partners.
At a glance
- Project type
- Afforestation, reforestation and revegetation (ARR). Carbon removal, not avoidance.
- Standard pathway
- Verra Verified Carbon Standard, ARR methodology. Designed to the ICVCM Core Carbon Principles.
- Registry status
- Not yet listed. Listing follows validation, planned for 2027–28.
- Location
- Punjab, Pakistan. Site selection under way in Chakwal district (Potohar plateau, semi-arid, rain-fed) and Rajanpur district (southern Punjab, arid).
- Developer and operator
- Pakistan Carbon Reserve (Private) Limited, CUIN 0354079. We develop and operate the project ourselves.
- Scale
- 50 hectares, with gated expansion to 500 and then 5,000+ hectares.
- Species
- Native species matched to the selected site's zone. Final mix set by the feasibility study.
- Status
- Feasibility. Planting targeted for the second quarter of 2027.
- First issuance
- Estimated 2032–34, five to seven years after planting.
- Credits available
- None. Forward interest can be registered.
What the pilot is
A 50-hectare planting of native tree species on land that is currently degraded: low vegetation cover, low soil carbon, and no competing productive use that the project would displace. The pilot exists to prove three things under Punjab conditions: that the chosen species survive and grow at the rates we plan for, that the monitoring system produces data a verifier will accept, and that the operating model works with local crews and land partners.
It is deliberately small. Fifty hectares is large enough to yield statistically useful growth data from permanent sample plots and to run a full validation cycle, and small enough that a design mistake is affordable to fix before expansion.
Site selection
Two districts are under evaluation. Chakwal sits on the Potohar plateau: semi-arid, rain-fed, with eroded and gullied land where afforestation is an established restoration practice. Rajanpur is in southern Punjab: arid, hotter, with degraded land at the margins of irrigated agriculture. They represent two of the ecological zones the company intends to operate in, and the pilot will be sited in whichever offers documented tenure, a suitable baseline, and reliable water for establishment.
Selection criteria, in order: tenure that can be documented for the full crediting period, a baseline that qualifies as degraded under the methodology, no displacement of existing agricultural or grazing use, water access for the first two establishment seasons, and road access for monitoring crews.
Species approach
Only species native to the selected zone will be planted, chosen for survival on degraded soils, drought tolerance, and growth rate, in that order. We will not plant fast-growing exotic species to inflate early numbers. The final species mix is set by the feasibility study and stated in the Project Design Document.
What a credit from this project will represent
One credit will represent one tonne of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere and stored in growing biomass and soil, net of the baseline, net of leakage, and after the contribution to the VCS buffer pool, as calculated under the methodology and confirmed by an independent verifier. Until a verifier has confirmed it, no figure on this site is a credit. It is a planning estimate.
How it will be certified and tracked
The project will be validated by an accredited validation and verification body against the Verra VCS ARR methodology, listed on the Verra registry, and verified periodically thereafter. Each verification produces issued credits with unique serial numbers that are retired once when used. Monitoring is described on the methodology page and the monitoring protocol.
Community and land partners
The land partner retains ownership under a long-term lease, or sells outright, with tenure documented before planting. Local crews are hired for site preparation, planting, maintenance, and monitoring. Land partners receive lease income or a share of credit revenue. The community benefit plan is written into the Project Design Document and audited as part of validation.
Risks and how we manage them
The risks a validator or buyer will ask about, and our answer to each.
Seedling survival
Native species selection, planting timed to the monsoon, watering through the first two establishment seasons, and replanting of losses in year one. Survival is measured in the permanent plots and reported.
Drought and fire
Drought-tolerant species, fire breaks, and satellite monitoring between visits. A share of every issuance goes to the VCS buffer pool, which insures against reversal.
Grazing and encroachment
Fencing where needed, community agreements on grazing, and local employment that gives the community a stake in the forest standing.
Land tenure
Tenure is documented and verified for the full crediting period before planting. No planting on land where tenure cannot be shown.
Measurement
Permanent sample plots, published equations, conservative assumptions, and independent verification. Estimates are replaced by measurements as data accumulates.
Market and price
Forward offtake agreements for pilot volumes, and a design aligned to the ICVCM Core Carbon Principles so credits qualify for the quality tier of the market.
Timeline
Two decision gates control expansion.
Foundation and feasibility
Company incorporated with SECP on 3 September 2026. Commission feasibility study. Land scouting in Chakwal and Rajanpur. Baseline carbon stock assessment. Engage forestry and MRV advisors.
Pilot launch
Secure the 50-hectare site by lease or purchase. First trees planted, targeting the second quarter. Establish permanent monitoring plots. Engage a Verra validation body. Begin local hiring.
Documentation and validation
Submit the Project Design Document. Third-party validation audit. Project listed on the Verra registry. Monitoring system fully operational. Begin buyer outreach.
Gate 1: survival rate and measured growth reviewed at 24 months. Expansion planning starts only if the pilot meets its targets.
Issuance and scale
First verification and credit issuance. Offtake agreements in place. Path to 5,000+ hectares across additional sites.
Gate 2: first verified issuance plus a signed offtake agreement trigger the 500-hectare expansion.
Questions about this project
Is this project registered with Verra?
Not yet. It is designed to the Verra VCS ARR methodology and will be submitted for validation in 2027–28. Until it is listed on the registry, it has no project ID and no credits.
Can I buy credits from it now?
No. You can register forward interest, and we will discuss offtake terms once the project is validated. We do not sell anything before that point.
Why Chakwal or Rajanpur?
They are two of Punjab's distinct ecological zones with large areas of degraded land, and afforestation has an established track record in both. The final choice depends on tenure, baseline, and water.
How confident are you in 5–10 tonnes per hectare per year?
It is a planning assumption for native species on degraded land in Punjab, not a measurement. The pilot's permanent plots will replace it with measured data, and we will publish the update.
Who owns the trees and the credits?
The project developer, Pakistan Carbon Reserve, holds the carbon rights under the lease or purchase agreement, with the land partner's share of revenue set out in the same agreement. Both are documented before planting.
Register interest in the pilot
Tell us whether you are a buyer, funder, or land partner and we will keep you informed at each milestone.
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