Estimate carbon credits from afforestation, reforestation and revegetation (ARR) projects. Verra VM0047 v1.1 - the ICVCM Core Carbon Principles approved methodology.
Open Free Calculator →Afforestation, Reforestation and Revegetation (ARR) projects generate carbon credits by establishing or restoring tree cover on land that was previously deforested, degraded or used for agriculture. As the planted trees grow, they absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere and store it in above-ground biomass and soil. Each tonne of CO₂ absorbed and permanently stored can be issued as a verified carbon credit.
ARR is one of the largest and fastest-growing segments of the voluntary carbon market, with particular demand from corporate buyers seeking high-quality nature-based solutions that deliver biodiversity and community co-benefits alongside carbon removal.
Released in May 2025, VM0047 v1.1 is Verra's current methodology for ARR projects. It is the first ARR methodology to receive the ICVCM's Core Carbon Principles (CCP) label, making credits eligible for CORSIA compliance and preferred by institutional buyers.
Key features of VM0047 include:
| Forest type | Sequestration rate | Key regions | Typical credit price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical rainforest | 7–10 tCO₂e/ha/yr | Congo Basin, Amazon, SE Asia | £15–35/t |
| Tropical dry forest | 5–7 tCO₂e/ha/yr | East Africa, India, Brazil | £12–28/t |
| Subtropical forest | 3–5 tCO₂e/ha/yr | Southern China, Mediterranean | £10–22/t |
| Temperate broadleaf | 2.5–4 tCO₂e/ha/yr | Europe, Eastern US | £8–18/t |
| Temperate conifer | 1.5–3 tCO₂e/ha/yr | Scandinavia, Pacific NW | £6–15/t |
| Boreal forest | 1.0–2 tCO₂e/ha/yr | Canada, Russia, Scandinavia | £5–12/t |
| Savanna revegetation | 3–6 tCO₂e/ha/yr | Sub-Saharan Africa | £10–20/t |
The net annual credit yield after all deductions is calculated as:
Net credits = Hectares × Sequestration rate × (1 − Buffer %) × (1 − Leakage %)
Where:
ARR projects typically require 2–3 years from initiation to first credit issuance, as the validation and registration process takes 12–18 months and trees need time to establish measurable biomass growth.
| Cost item | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Validation (VVB, one-off) | £25,000 – £50,000 |
| Annual verification | £12,000 – £20,000/yr |
| Registry fees (Verra) | 3–6% of first year revenue + £0.08/credit |
| Land establishment & planting | £500 – £2,000/ha (project-specific) |
| Remote sensing monitoring | £2,000 – £8,000/yr depending on area |
Use the Verification Cost Estimator to model full cost breakdowns and break-even timelines for forestry projects under Gold Standard or Verra.
For new ARR projects, Verra VM0047 is generally recommended over Gold Standard's ARR module due to its CCP label, dynamic baselines and wider buyer acceptance. Gold Standard ARR is better suited to small-scale community forestry projects where SDG co-benefits are the primary value driver and where buyers are willing to pay a premium for rigorous social safeguards.
Enter hectares, forest type, buffer and leakage. See net annual credits and 30-year revenue in seconds.
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