Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about funding, conservation easements, landowner engagement, or project fit?
Here are answers to some of the most common questions from land trusts and conservation partners
exploring collaboration with Upstream Carbon.
Which states are you currently active in?
We currently have active projects and campaigns in Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, with expansion underway in Vermont, Maine, Virginia, South Carolina, Ohio, and additional states.
What type of land are you looking for?
We generally target privately owned forestland with meaningful carbon storage and measurable development pressure. In many markets, ideal projects are:
- Forested areas totaling at least 30 acres
- Moderately accessible and driving distance to growing development areas, including suburbs, energy and industrial sites, and transportation hubs
- Suitable for long-term forest conservation
Every property is evaluated individually using our development risk and carbon models.
Which conservation transaction costs does the program cover?
Upstream Carbon typically covers conservation transaction costs including appraisals, surveys, title work, legal fees, stewardship funding, and Forest Management Plans required by the program.
Can we use our own conservation easement template?
Usually, yes. Our carbon program is designed to work alongside most existing conservation easement templates. We collaborate with partners to ensure that specific forest-retention provisions are in place.
Can land with an existing conservation easement qualify?
No. Our projects are proactive rather than retroactive. We rely on “additionality,” meaning the carbon benefits must come from conservation that would not have happened otherwise. It is difficult to meet this requirement for existing conservation easements.
I have a landowner interested in carbon. How do I see if they are eligible?
We regularly evaluate potential projects for partners and landowners. Because only a subset of parcels qualify (about 1 in 10), screening multiple properties at once is often the best approach.
What role does the land trust play in the project?
The land trust helps educate the landowner on conservation, conducts easement due diligence, manages stewardship of the easement, and helps ensure the conservation goals of the project are maintained over time. Costs of these responsibilities are covered in part or in full by the carbon project, depending on the funds available for each site.
How are stewardship and monitoring handled?
The land trust manages long-term conservation easement stewardship, while Upstream Carbon manages carbon monitoring, reporting, and verification obligations during the 40-year carbon program term.
What makes your carbon projects different?
Our projects combine predictive development-risk modeling, permanent conservation easements, landowner-driven pricing, and rigorous carbon accounting to create high-integrity avoided-conversion carbon credits.
