National parks start to earn carbon credit revenue

From the newsletter

African Parks has earned $7.35 million from carbon credit sales linked to its project in Chinko National Park in the Central African Republic. The initiative was co-developed with the Swiss consultancy firm South Pole and is registered under the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation mechanism (REDD+) on the Verra certification platform.

• The project was open for public comment from April to May before the payment and will use the revenue to manage parks that host endangered species, including elephants, lions, chimpanzees and African wild dogs.

• Monetising avoided deforestation to fund park management is a growing conservation strategy in Africa. However, questions remain regarding the scale of adoption, who is profiting and how the revenue is being reinvested in wildlife protection.

More details

• Helge Mahne, the global funding director for African Parks, confirmed the carbon credit payment to Mongabay in July via email. The email referenced a similar project in Benin’s Pendjari and W National Parks, though it did not provide specific details. The Chinko project aims to mitigate forest and savannah degradation caused by slash-and-burn agriculture, livestock overgrazing and artisanal mining.

• According to project documents, the initiative, which will run until 2045, aims to protect at least five critically endangered, nine endangered and 12 vulnerable species. It will also safeguard threatened rainforest tree species, including Mukulungu, Wenge and African ebony. The project's activities focus on habitat protection, ranger deployment, community engagement and reducing human pressure to secure long-term biodiversity in the Chinko Conservation Area.

• The Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project, implemented by Wildlife Works, spans over 200,000 hectares between Tsavo East and West National Parks. Initiated in 2005, it generates carbon credits through avoided deforestation via the Verra registry. The project protects key species such as African elephants, lions, and vultures while providing local jobs, scholarships, clean water, and eco-enterprises. Revenues are managed by democratically elected community committees, linking forest protection to livelihoods and education.

• Launched in 2011, the Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project conserves 300,000 hectares of rainforest to generate carbon credits under Verra. It protects species such as bonobos, forest elephants, and pangolins while supporting over 50,000 residents across 28 villages. Revenue funds clean water wells, schools, fish ponds, and healthcare. Local governance ensures community-led conservation, linking sustainable development to forest protection in one of the world’s most biodiverse and carbon-rich ecosystems.

• REDD+ projects can significantly contribute to the conservation of endangered species in Africa by generating funds through the sale of carbon credits, which are then used to support various conservation initiatives and community development programmes. These projects incentivise the protection of forests, which are vital habitats for many endangered species, by providing economic benefits to local communities living in and around these forests.

Our take

• Avoided deforestation projects that generate carbon revenue depend not just on ecological outcomes but on stable relationships with local communities. Equitable REDD+ models link carbon payments to local development by easing pressure on the forest while addressing long-standing marginalisation.

• If communities are not recognised as equal partners in REDD+, the pressures that drive habitat loss such as charcoal production, farming, or wildlife trade will persist despite international investment.

• But not all REDD+ initiatives follow this path. Projects that centralise control or delay benefit-sharing risk eroding local trust. To scale REDD+ in Africa, legal frameworks must guarantee revenue transparency, community consultation and shared governance.