Canadian company Carbon Done Right Developments Inc. has finalised third-party validation for its large-scale reforestation project in Sierra Leone under the Verra VM0047 protocol for nature-based restoration projects. This allows the company to start issuing carbon credits through the Verra Registry.
The Sierra Leone project, independently validated by Earthood, covers an initial area of 5,000 hectares and is expected to produce up to 1.7 million tonnes of carbon credits over 30 years. The company plans to expand the project to at least 25,000 hectares, potentially generating over 10 million tonnes of carbon credits.
With three planting seasons completed, the company is shifting focus to maintenance and fire management as the rainy season concludes. A long-term offtake agreement is already in place for most of the carbon credits expected over the first 20 years.
The validation under Verra’s updated protocol, which sets high standards for carbon credit production, is expected to attract additional interest from investors. The company launched a private placement in December 2024, with the final close anticipated by January 2025.
Carbon Done Right CEO James Tansey said, “Our investment is one of the first projects in the world to be validated under the new Verra VM0047 protocol for nature-based restoration projects. The new protocol, released in late 2023, establishes the highest standards for carbon credit production, so this is a major milestone for the Company.”
He added, “The project was independently validated by Earthood, one of the leading validators in carbon markets. This audit validation process provides independent assurance about the quality of the project, the volumes of carbon stored in the trees we are planting and the legal framework covering carbon rights and community engagement.”
