Preserving Appalachian Biodiversity

In January 2023, CNX partnered with ClimeCo to develop forest in Virginia’s Tazewell and Buchanan counties on land that was previously managed for timber production. ClimeCo is a global sustainability company focused on advancing a low-carbon future and restoring nature with market-based solutions. The Appalachian Valley Improved Forest Management (AVIFM) Project will change the management focus from timber production to conservation on 34,422 acres (13,931 hectares) owned by CNX to enhance carbon storage and sequestration while providing a haven for protected plant and animal species known to exist in the region.

The Appalachian Valley Ecoregion represents one of the most diverse temperate forest types in the world. There are many endemic species that are found nowhere else on Earth. However, this region is increasingly vulnerable to impacts from human activity. The preservation and promotion of diverse conditions will protect and enhance habitat for various endangered and vulnerable species, including the Indiana Bat, the Northern Long-Eared Bat, Little Brown Bat, Gray Bat and the Virginia Big-Eared bat. 

Also overlapping the project acreage is a Virginia Division of Wildlife Resources, Rocky Mountain Elk reintroduction project. The state successfully reintroduced elks in 2012 following a 100-year absence, and their growing population relies on the forests for a cool haven in the summer and additional food resourced in the winter. Finally, by reducing sediment erosion, the project will also help improve the water quality of local streams and rivers, home to several species of endangered freshwater mussels. 

IFM projects like this reduce carbon emissions by protecting forests with high-carbon storage from harvest, and by allowing stands normally scheduled for harvest to continue to grow and sequester carbon in biomass.

Generating Carbon Credits

With the partnership and guidance of ClimeCo as the project developer, CNX is able to bring forth high-quality credits to the voluntary market. The 34,422 acres of the AVIFM Project are enrolled into a Verra IFM project for crediting to the voluntary carbon markets. Many of these timberlands were affected by legacy 3rd party mining activity in the past. As a result, the companies are preserving existing mature Appalachian hardwood forest. The temperate forests within Buchanan and Tazewell counties contain a diverse array of hardwood species, which would have been subjected to continued logging in the absence of the project. The new preservation approach creates a focus on the health and longevity of the region’s forests and their ability to serve as undisturbed habitat.

The project assures the permanence of stored carbon. Because of its natural gas production operations in the region, CNX has a physical presence at the project site, which will deter unplanned activities that might affect the habitats. Credits generated by the AVIFM Project will be created in accordance with Verra’s VM0012 Improved Forest Management methodology and listed on the Verra Registry.

     

Benefitting Local Communities and Businesses

The project also creates outdoor recreation opportunities with plans to extend and connect local hiking trails, and to permit hunting on the land. It is with these benefits in mind that CNX and ClimeCo have identified several stakeholders with an interest in the AVIFM Project, including Southern Gap Outdoor Adventure, Breaks Interstate Park, the Southwest Virginia Sportsman’s Club, and the Southwest Virginia Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation – all of whom have been involved in Virginia’s elk reintroduction program. Another important stakeholder is the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, which will work together with CNX to allow public hunting access on the Project area.
 

Contact Information

For information on purchasing credits from the Appalachian Valley IFM Project, contact DanielBitz@cnx.com.

For project grievances, please see our Project Grievance and Redress Procedure.

Upcoming Audits

Third Party Audit to be performed by Earthood in November 2024. More information will be shared when dates are finalized.