Green Cities Accord is pleased to announce that its first urban tree carbon offset project in partnership with the City of St. Paul has achieved third-party verification. The first set of carbon offsets — totaling 2,976 metric tons of carbon dioxide — has been issued to Green Cities Accord by City Forest Credits, a leading nonprofit carbon registry and certification organization.
The first sale of carbon offsets from the project has also been completed. INFRA, the Independent Natural Food Retailers Association, purchased 152 offsets to apply towards carbon emissions generated by its members’ travel to their recent annual conference, held at the Saint Paul RiverCentre. This purchase offsets 152 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
“We at INFRA are proud to support growing Saint Paul’s urban forest through the purchase of carbon offsets to mitigate the environmental impact of our recent conference,” said INFRA Business Programs Manager Rachel Comeaux. “Through Green Cities Accord, we were able to purchase high-quality, third party-verified carbon offsets that will directly benefit the local community while also contributing to the broader fight against climate change.”
The City of Saint Paul’s inaugural urban tree carbon offset project included the planting of 11,288 trees by Saint Paul Parks and Recreation along streets and in parks between 2021 and 2023. These trees are projected to sequester 39,152 metric tons of carbon over the project’s 26-year term, in addition to reducing air pollution, stormwater runoff and energy consumption, significantly contributing to the city’s climate resilience efforts.
City Forest Credits, which manages carbon and impact standards for urban areas across the United States, has verified and issued the first 10 percent of the project’s estimated 29,755 total carbon offsets. The remaining offsets will be periodically issued and sold during the term of the project, with proceeds from offset sales reinvested in additional tree planting and maintenance within the City of Saint Paul.
“We are excited to partner with Green Cities Accord and INFRA to put the proceeds from these carbon offsets to work by investing them in additional planting and maintenance of public trees in Saint Paul,” said Russ Stark, Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Saint Paul.
This project marks the beginning of a long-term partnership between the City of Saint Paul and Green Cities Accord. Future tree plantings managed by Saint Paul Parks and Recreation will be enrolled in additional carbon offset projects, creating a perpetual funding stream dedicated to protecting and expanding Saint Paul’s urban forest.
Contacts
Michaela Neu, Director of Programs and Operations
Green Cities Accord
Liz McDonald, Public Information Specialist
Saint Paul Parks and Recreation
Meggie Smith, Director of Communications
INFRA
About
Green Cities Accord is a nonprofit conservancy with a mission to foster climate resilient communities through investments in tree canopy infrastructure.
Saint Paul Parks and Recreation is a nationally accredited and gold medal award-winning organization that manages over 186 parks and open spaces, AZA-accredited Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, 26 city-operated recreation centers, more than 120 miles of trails, an indoor and two outdoor aquatic facilities, a public beach, a variety of premium sports facilities, municipal golf courses, and Great River Passage — which is the new identity for all proposed public development along Saint Paul’s more than 17 miles of Mississippi riverfront. Saint Paul Parks and Recreation is recognized by the Trust for Public Land™ ParkScore® as the #2 City Park System in the United States in 2023.
INFRA, the Independent Natural Food Retailers Association, is a cooperative of over 350 independent natural food retailers serving hundreds of communities in all 50 states plus DC and Puerto Rico. Through collective buying power, operational support and exchange, and innovative marketing programs, INFRA helps member businesses thrive in step with their values and communities, a fast-changing industry, and the planet we share.
