Mast Reforestation has completed its first large-scale biomass burial project at the Mast Wood Preserve MT1 site in south-central Montana, just four months after breaking ground. The project combines engineered carbon removal through burial of fire-killed trees with post-wildfire reforestation, marking a significant milestone for Terrestrial Storage of Biomass (TSB).
The MT1 project, registered with Puro.earth, has already buried more than 10 million pounds of unmerchantable, fire-damaged timber that would otherwise have been pile-burned. The logs have been placed in a sealed chamber engineered to prevent decomposition for at least a century. Continuous monitoring under a robust MRV (monitoring, reporting and verification) system has so far shown no greenhouse gas emissions from the chamber. Long-term oversight will be funded through an independent endowment.
Up to 5,000 tonnes of vintage 2025 carbon removal credits are expected to be issued by the first quarter of 2026. Verified through detailed wood analysis and weight records, the credits have received a BeZero Carbon rating of ‘Apre’, placing MT1 among the top tier of non-nature-based carbon removal projects. According to CDR.fyi, it is on track to be one of the largest deliveries of durable biomass burial credits in the 2025 market.
Mast’s approach not only removes carbon from the atmosphere but also finances ecological recovery. Revenue from credit sales supports reforestation of the same landscape, where Mast is preparing to plant seedlings grown from locally sourced wild seed in spring 2026. The area is home to threatened species and cultural heritage sites, with reforestation expected to restore biodiversity, support silvopasture, and strengthen community stewardship.
Grant Canary, Mast’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “MT1 delivers what buyers are looking for: durable carbon removal with the strong co-benefits of reforestation, and huge potential to scale, quickly. Wildfires today are not the fires of even a decade ago, outpacing traditional means of recovery and vast funding shortages. MT1 demonstrates a path to accelerate post-fire reforestation in areas of large-scale devastation.”
The credits are already available for pre-sale on platforms including CEEZER and Cloverly. Mast’s expansion pipeline includes further biomass burial projects across Montana, where the company estimates more than 2.8 million tonnes of fire-killed trees are available for durable carbon storage. With mills in decline and limited funding for recovery, Mast argues that carbon markets represent one of the few viable pathways for financing large-scale reforestation in fire-affected landscapes.
