1. BaumInvest Mixed Reforestation in Costa Rica
Project Type: Afforestation & Reforestation
Dear audience,
Dear team of GoldStandard,
Thank you for having us today and inviting us to this “Finance Beyond” session.
We are representing the company network of “FuturoVerde” which includes several companies in Germany and Costa Rica dealing with financing and developing Integrated Land Use projects, where the biggest project so far is “BaumInvest”, one of the first forestry projects in the world under the GoldStandard Land Use & forests certification.
My colleague Barbara San Martin is a Forestry Consultant in the project, my name is Heiko Rock and I am the Key Account Manager for BaumInvest.
One of the first afforestation/reforestation projects in the world gaining the Gold Standard Certification

2. Project activity overview
BaumInvest:
Reforestation project in northern Costa Rica
~ 2000 green investors
10 years & ~ ha. pasture land reforested
85% native tree species + 15% teak  mixed planting design imitating the natural succession of a forest
1.2 million trees; 20 different tree species
Monitoring: investors, financial authorities, research institutions, Gold Standard, FSC
BaumInvest brings innovative solutions to long-term problems
The project starts in 2007, in the context of high net deforestation rates in Costa Rica. A group of investors decide to move forward and invest in reforestation. Back then, the project started planting a small area of Teak as a means to secure a financial cash flow.
10 years later BaumInvest has grown up to gather investors, reforesting around ha. (1.2 mill. Trees of 20 diff species & more than 30 diff combinations). Through out these years the project has change to an innovative planting system with native tree species according to their ecological traits.
Through this 10 years gaining: knowledge in native species (seeds & tree nursery, growth models) with the suport from cooperation with research institutions and universities, growing the international team.

3. Project activity visualized
The company network realized from the start, that a viable and long-term carbon sequestration project needs thorough financing and social and ecological integration on the project site, in our case Costa Rica.
Beneath carbon sequestration, we are fostering biodiversity, nature conservation, as well as soil and water protection.
We are creating long-term employment and provide perspectives in a rural area that is poor on infrastructure and possibilities.
To realize this holistic idea, we need a practical hands-on approach and a proper business model to finance it. We have over 2000 green small scale investors that share our mindset and a pioneer forestry approach with mixed stands and species diversification that is build for long term financial feasibility.
We created additional activities around our forestry sites, like agroforestry and agriculture, growing ornamental plants, a super market chain and cattle farming to integrate and stabilize the project in its social surroundings. And of course to use synergies and create know-how on integrated land use implementation.
Together with research cooperations and an advanced IT-infrastructure we are building a knowledge base to make these ideas transferable to other contexts.

4. SDGs Impacts delivered
Long-term employment in rural northern Costa Rica
whole project network = 94 jobs
Training & capacity, fair wages
Mitigation: tropical trees as CO2 sinks
~ VERs
Mitigation: mixed plantations foster the nutrient turnover which enhances the capacity of the soil to store greenhouse gases
The project fullfill many SDGs, though now we are goint to focus on 3:
8. Decent work and economic growth  the project provides secure employment in rural northern Costa Rica. Currently, there are 94 people employed through the whole project network, to whom the project has provided with training, and in some cases with houses on the farm sites.
The whole project network has created an Integrated Land Use system, and thus a green economy in the rural area of Costa Rica.
Long-term employment since from the beginning the whole project was meant to last in time; due to financial administrative issues the project has to have a termination date, but actually investors were interested from the beginning on keep the project going.
Long-term employment also because surrounding BaumInvest several other sister companys grew up (cattle ranching, agriculture, supermarkets) to provide with short-term cash flow while providing with secured jobs and in rural areas.
13. Climate action  our trees in mixed plantations are sustainable CO2 sinks. Currently the project has stored ~ VERs (or tonnes of CO2). And at the same time facilite nutrient reclycing and the development of the soil, and thus the store of greenhouse gases.
(pic description): Almendros (tallest) with Cebos

5. SDGs Impacts delivered
Progress towards sustainable long-term forest management
mixed-species plantations & uneven-age forest system
25% (~ 284 ha) project area are nature reserves:
remnant forests & wetlands as natural habitats and biological corridors
Mixed-plantations with native tree species serve as buffer zones:
The Baird’s Tapir, Jaguar and the Great Green Macaw: “IUCN Red List of Threatened Species”, already been sighted within our project area
Biodiversity monitoring of amphibians and reptiles
Since 2009, the amount of species grew from 20 to 89
15. Life on land 
The project has evolved towards a sustainable & long-term forest management. Our mixed-species plantations are managed under similar principles as those of a close-to nature management; combining species from diff ecological groups leading to a uneven-size forest system, and selection harvesting (opposite the common clear-cut that follows a typical plantation investment).
Around 25% of the project area are natural reserves (remanent forest, forest along river sides and wetlands), which also serves as biological corridors.
But also mixed-plantations serves as buffer zones for some red-listed species, which have already been seen in the project area.
Our biodiversity monitoring of amphibiand and reptiles has showed us that the amount of species has grown from 20 to 89 since 2009.
Progress towards sustanable forest management with different rotation periods and selectived harvesting
Approximately 284 ha or 25% of the total project area are managed as nature reserves, where remnant forests and wetlands are preserved as natural habitats and biological corridors for many endangered wildlife species of the tropical Central America bioregion
Also the high proportion of native tree species in mixed stands creates new habitats particularly suitable to serve as buffer zones. The Baird’s Tapir, Jaguar and the Great Green Macaw are just a few examples of species of the “IUCN Red List of Threatened Species”, which have already been sighted within our project area
Biodiversity monitoring of amphibians and reptiles is an integral part of the project, since the act as an indicator for habitat quality and land use compatibility. Since 2009, the amount of species grew from 20 to 89 species.
Why is biodiversity is good for the forest?  by planting in mixed-forest: resilience to pest/disease

6. How is your project innovative?
Citizen/community Financing for forest landscape restoration
Enabling private small scale investors to participate in long term ecologically sound forestry + active climate change mitigation
Returns from selective harvesting and sales of carbon certificates
Pioneering reforestation model
Tropical native species & mixed planting design imitating the natural succession of a forest
Optimal rotation lengths increase economic benefits + optimize storage potential in wood and soil
Species diversification & continuous harvesting outperform monoculture + exotic species plantations by minimizing economic risk and foster biodiversity
Carbon market
Voluntary carbon markets enable additional returns for the project
Young tropical forestry stands have a high carbon sink capacity
Long-lasting wood products are a sustainable storage option
The project is innovative because it found suitable business forms to finance itself and giving the small investors or consumer the possibility to participate in sustainable forestry and climate change mitigation.
The project is financially feasible, because beneath carbon certificate sales, there are also returns from selective harvesting in the forest
The forestry model includes native species and imitates the natural succession of the forest
We are able to optimize rotation time for optimal carbon storage and economic returns and have the necessary GIS- and modeling tools on hand
In terms of economic risk and in terms of biodiversity mixed approaches outperform monocultures.
The voluntary carbon market means additional returns for the project
Especially young tropical forests enable to emit a high number of certificates due to their fast growth
The later processed wood go in to long term products and provide a long term carbon storage

7. Mixed forest (left) and agroforestry (right)
Visualise your impact
Mixed forest (left) and agroforestry (right)
Forestry is a long term business. But after 10 years, we are beginning to grasp the size and impact of the project on the eco-system and its social surroundings.
The mixed forest plantations become a real forest, adjusted to their natural surroundings, populated with amphibia, insects and mammals.
The agroforestry sections on the other side are productive areas where food for the local population is growing and that are representing the true meaning of integrated land use with more than one beneficiary.
For further information please contact us. We have interdisciplinary science & research topics going on to add on to. And we are open to share our ideas and our build-up knowledge to other projects around the world.
Thank you for your attention!
(pic left: Guapinol in the center with a great understory development, with laurel and botarrama not fully developed // pic right: almendro – tequisque - botarrama)
For more information, contact us at the break

8. The Finca San Rafael 2008 and 2016
Visualise your impact
The Finca San Rafael 2008 and 2016
For more information, contact us at the break