Google and McKinsey Back Brazilian Silvopasture Carbon Project

The silvopasture model implemented by Working Trees allows ranchers to plant rows of trees on existing pastures without halting agricultural production. This approach seeks to avoid the risk of leakage, where displaced farming activities inadvertently cause emissions elsewhere. Beyond carbon sequestration, the project intends to improve soil health, increase water retention, and enhance local biodiversity by providing shade for cattle.

Financial incentives for landowners are structured through a combination of carbon-credit revenue and future timber sales. While the specific price of the removals remains undisclosed, the Symbiosis Coalition emphasizes that such long-term corporate offtake agreements are essential for developers to secure financing for nature-based projects. Having already piloted the model on 2,000 hectares, the developers believe the system could eventually scale to cover up to 10 million hectares of pastureland across the country.