The Forest
Inside the Sasaboe forest.
Protecting tropical lowland rainforest at two sites on South Choiseul, Solomon Islands: Sassamungga and Boeboe. Habitat for 19 of the 21 frog species found in the Solomon Islands, with 11 identified in a rapid biodiversity survey in the project site.
The forest is home to many bird species including: Midget flowerpeckers (Dicaeum aeneum aneum), Golden whistlers (Pachycephalus pectoralis), Song parrots (Geoffroyus h. heteroclitus), Crested cuckoo doves (Reinwardtoena crassirostris), black and white monarchs (Monarcha b. barbatus), White–billed crows (Corvus woodfordi woodfordi), Blyth’s hornbills (Aceros plicatus mendanae), Eclectus parrots, fruit doves, and lorikeets. Also present are Mackinlays cuckoo dove (Macropygia mackinlayi arossi), Willy wag-tails, and kingfishers.
Choiseul has the highest number of native mammals including native giant rats, the Giant horseshoe bat (Hipposideros dinops). 14 species of reptile were recorded at the site including green bellied skink (Emoia cyanogaster), brown tailed copper striped skink (Emoia cyanura), and Pacific black skink (Emoia nigra). The mildly venomous Solomon red krait (Salomonelaps par) was also present. The saltwater crocodile is also abundant in the rivers closer to the sea.
The project is certified to the Plan Vivo Standard.
Leaf frog
Saltwater crocodile
The People
This project is owned by the indigenous peoples of the Sassamungga. These indigenous landowners have voluntarily given up rights to logging in exchange for the opportunity to create and sell rainforest carbon offsets from their lowland coastal rainforests. The Sirebe tribal group have established a community-based organisation (CBO). This CBO has established a community learning centre and visitor accommodation with two-way radio and solar panels. The desire to conserve the forest was initiated by the CBO and agreed to by the community. Their land provides their main source, and sometimes only source of food, income, medicine, building materials, water, and firewood.
The Location
Technical Stuff
Project development began in 2012. The project developed a Project Idea Note for registration with the Plan Vivo Standard in 2012. It has since been undergoing project development in preparation for the completion of the Project Description (scheduled for late 2016).
The project applies an "avoided forest degradation" carbon accounting methodology - otherwise termed "improved forest management" where land use is changed from logging to long term forest protection. A forest inventory was undertaken during 2015 as part of the carbon accounting for the project.
The project’s carbon offsets will be issued by Markit Environmental Registry in London (the world's leading environmental registry).
Download Technical Reports:
Sasaboe Rainforest Conservation Project Governing Board
Follow The Money
Rainforest conservation costs money. The main cost elements are:
Timber opportunity costs and conservation management costs for rainforest owners.
Measurement, reporting and verification costs of an internationally certified project.
Sales & Marketing costs needed to monetize carbon offset units.
When carbon credits are sold from this project the revenue goes to cover these costs.
We can provide wholesale pricing and project cost details for carbon offset resellers on request.
Project Partners
This project was developed by the Nakau Programme Pty Ltd. Technical support was provided by Carbon Partnership and WCS, with funding from the European Union. The project is certified to the Plan Vivo Standard and was audited by CPMA (Sweden).
