TotalEnergies has signed an agreement with NativState, an Arkansas-based forest carbon project developer, to conserve forests from land conversion and heavy timber harvesting.

The transaction includes 13 Improved Forest Management (IFM) projects located in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, U.S.A, covering 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) owned by more than 280 private family forest landowners. The carbon program managed by NativState offers landowners a sustainable income alternative to this region’s common practice of heavy timber harvesting while restoring forest health and improving carbon stocks.

This investment will support sustainable forest practices, such as identifying and preserving high conservation value forests, implementing best management practices for streamside management zones, improving forest species diversity, and conserving wildlife corridors. It will also generate social benefits to small landowners such as forestry management education and technical support, as well as financial benefits by giving them access to voluntary carbon markets.

All carbon credits generated by the project will be certified by the ACR, an internationally recognized carbon crediting program, and will be acquired by TotalEnergies. After prioritizing emission avoidance and reduction, the Company will use these credits from 2030 onwards to voluntarily offset part of its remaining direct Scope 1 & 2 emissions.

“TotalEnergies confirms its commitment to support the conservation and enhancement of carbon sinks, with local value creation”, said Adrien Henry, Vice President Nature Based Solutions at TotalEnergies. “We are thrilled to support NativState to scale up their operations, directly benefiting the environment and their local communities.”

“We, at NativState, are honored and deeply grateful for our partnership with TotalEnergies and our forest landowner families, which creates extraordinary opportunities to build a lasting legacy for small forest landowners in our communities across the southern United States while supporting TotalEnergies in addressing the challenges of global energy markets,” said Stuart Allen, NativState Founder and CEO. “It is a privilege to empower these landowners to embrace sustainable forestry practices, cultivating healthier lands and stronger communities for generations to come.”

KeyFacts Energy: TotalEnergies US country profile