Undulating hills, dense forests, and rich, red soil make up some of the most prominent features of Odisha, India. The warm, humid subtropical climate has provided ideal conditions for various forest types and plant species to grow, from evergreen and deciduous forests to grasslands and wetlands. These diverse habitats not only house a range of fauna - including the bison, the Sambhar deer, tigers, black bears, and elephants - but also provide livelihoods to several tribal populations that rely on forestry products as a vital source of revenue.

Once a sanctuary of thriving wildlife and biodiversity, the region bears the scars of severe land degradation. Intensive farming practices and worsening climate impacts have resulted in an unsustainable environment for communities that have relied on the land for generations. Current land management has also resulted in encroachment into wildlife habitats.

Amidst this backdrop, efforts to restore the area's rich natural heritage have persisted, including the Shristi Rural project for afforestation. Treeconomy is working with the developer to support the sales of carbon removal credits for land restoration across the districts of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj in Odisha. Credits will be generated from the planting of six tree species on the land to support land recovery, ecosystem regeneration, and high community co-benefits from revenues generated from agroforestry yield sales. The sale of carbon credits through offtake agreements will bring in the necessary capital flows to allow the project to expand further.

The developer is working with the grassroots organisation Shristi to ensure the local communities involved in the project are well-represented in their needs. The project uses a participatory model for forest management to ensure that the communities' long-term needs and livelihoods are sustained and the project is protected. This is a valuable opportunity to generate lasting environmental and social impacts.

Treeconomy will monitor this project. This monitoring will start from a baseline assessment and track the forest's growth as it develops through ongoing monitoring.