Graze a Trail

The Chihuahua Desert ecoregion is the most biodiverse desert regions in the world, and yet remains largely unprotected. Unsustainable ranch management has led to severe land degradation, desertification, and loss of nutrient-rich soil – which results in CO2 emissions. This project developer specializes in soil technology and data tracking and works with on-the-ground partners to enroll farmers in this offering. Once participating, farmers track and maintain their own data sets and learn sustainable grazing practices to enhance CO2 sequestration.

Project Type: Soil Carbon Removal

Carbon Standard: Verra

Vintage: 2018-2021

Additionality: Without the sale of carbon, the landowners have no access to knowledge or education on sustainable ranching, have no reason to protect their land and use sustainable cattle raising techniques.

Permanence: Managing the land to maximize the re-growth of grasslands creates a 30 year carbon sink, secured by a buffer pool of ~20% of credits to account for any potential reversals.

Site Visit: TBD

North America has 55 Grassland Priority Conservation Areas – the most extensive, intact and highest quality grasslands on the continent. Thirteen of these 55 are in the Chihuahuan Desert. Between 2006 and 2010 cropland in this area increased by 69%. This created intense pressure on aquifers and brought agrichemicals to the area.

The desert area that was once a very lush grassland that supported all sorts of animals from large Bison to small prairie dogs has become an unproductive, dry and lifeless desert. The goal of the project is to work in sync with mother nature, by moving cattle every day mimicking old migratory routes of the bison from water points to water points. As the cattle move from location to location, they are transporting seeds of plants they consume. They fertilize the ground, and their hoofs work the soil so that when it rains, life can take hold.

When native grassland plants grow, they begin storing and sequestering carbon in their roots deep in the soil often at much higher rates than the above ground greenery would indicate.

This transformation is already having an impact; small islands of grasslands have returned to the Chihuahuan desert. Farmers in northern Mexico are seeing success with the regenerative farming techniques and the uptake from other farmers has been successful. Over 1 million acres of farmland are partnered with this project and is being monitored by satellite data. This data helps vaqueros (cowboys) plot their path through the desert to locations that need the cattle train.

This project relies on a partnership with local “ejidos” or communities in Mexico whereby the entire community must agree to execute the project. Community meetings are held and votes are counted and in this way all members of the community share in the proceeds.

• Reduce desertification through reduction in overgrazing
• Increase biodiversity: native animal and bird species are returning including the Mexican prairie dog, the burrowing owl, and the black-footed ferret.
• Increase grass cover through rotational grazing; some ranchers have seen their grass cover increase by 80%, which results in heavier cattle and better bird habitat
• Unlike trees, grasslands store most of the carbon below ground in their roots which are safe from reversal risks such as fires.
• Enhance livelihoods for rural poor in Northern Mexico by restoring their land
• Provide adequate incomes allows farmers to stay on their land
• Select important areas for conservation. Using satellite technology farmers can track areas that need increased support and can plan their migratory routes effectively.
• Incentivize ranchers through the sale of carbon to use sustainable grazing techniques

• At the current rate of development and cropland conversion, the Chihuahua grasslands will disappear completely by 2025 (2016 Numbers)
• This work is dependent on standard rain patterns
• Private landowners must agree to allow the passage of cattle through their areas to help with the restoration work.
• Satellite data and soil samples are in hand and 100% of ranchers have signed on to the program.