April in south central Montana has brought freezing temperatures to thaw and surprise snow showers to endless, blue sky. Through it all, our crew has been on site preparing for the first phase of excavation and biomass burial at our MT1 Wood Preserve carbon removal project, now listed with Puro.earth under its Terrestrial Storage of Biomass methodology.
This phase will remove and durably sequester more than 5,000 tonnes of 'biomass'; burned, unmerchantable trees leftover from the 2021 Poverty Flats Fire. This project is generating restorative carbon removal credits that can be retired by Q4 2025.
Excavation began this week, with log weighing and final analysis underway since April 3rd. The remaining operations will occur in a relatively rapid period of time, with capping (soil cover) expected by mid-May.
April 3, 2025. These trees were killed by severe burns during the 2021 Poverty Flats Fire, rendering them unusable by traditional means. The carbon they contain provides a lifeline to finance new Ponderosa seedlings that will take their place in the future forest across this landscape.
A Market-First in Carbon Removal
As this project breaks ground, it also marks a first: using engineered carbon removal to finance post-wildfire reforestation. Our geotechnically designed, anoxic (oxygen-limited) ‘chambers’ halt the decomposition of the buried wood, turning fire-killed trees into a durable carbon sink, generating restorative carbon removal credits.
Reforestation will occur in conjunction with project phases and carbon credits sold, with as many as 900 acres in our line of sight to restore on this same property. Seedlings will be grown in our nurseries from collected seed specifically suited for this ecosystem.
April 16, 2025, progress at the Mast MT1 biomass burial site. While a scraper is busy removing topsoil for reuse, nearby log piles are moved into position for initial weighing prior to burial.
A New CDR Pathway to Bolster Supply
As the World Economic Forum1 and Supercritical2 report on a diminishing supply of biochar CDR credits, this project is now registered with Puro.earth at just the right time.
This pre-sale opportunity is open for buyers looking to secure spot or long-term offtake agreements that could include subsequent phases totaling up to 30,000 CDR credits from this project alone.
Mast Wood Preserve MT1 Key Details:
- Location: Central Montana
- CDR Volume: Up to 30,000 tonnes of durable removal credits v2025-2026
- Methodology: Puro.earth Terrestrial Storage of Biomass
Price: Competitively priced with high quality biochar projects. Reforestation further contributes to long-term ecological recovery, wildfire resilience, and carbon removal.
Reforestation: Our crews will replant native conifers such as Ponderosas where they grew before the fire at the naturally low densities found in this ecosystem, as well as native deciduous species and shrubs in the lower elevation ravines, recreating a mosaic of diverse habitats across the landscape. These restoration activities will restore wildlife habitat to lay the foundation for the return of the area's biodiversity while further contributing to nature-based carbon sequestration.
BeZero Pre-Issuance Rating: This project has undergone review by carbon ratings agency BeZero and has received a pre-issuance rating3 of BBBe, with a standalone rating of ‘a’ and an additionality rating of ‘aaa’. The full report is available upon request.
April 4, 2025 Multiple piles of logs felled by the landowners to reduce future wildfire risks are ready for burial.
A view of Mast's first restorative carbon removal project in central Montana, including the Mast Wood Preserve MT1 burial site and hundreds of acres that will be restored to their native, pre-wildfire state.
Change the Pace of Reforestation with Mast
Mast’s innovative approach to combining biomass burial and reforestation is setting a new standard for scalable, durable carbon removal and forest recovery. Together, we can redefine what’s possible for our forests and our planet.
Connect with us to learn more about biomass burial and restorative carbon removal credits.
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Sources & Footnotes
1. "The new renewable revolution: Why carbon dioxide removal will transform the carbon market" World Economic Forum. April 10, 2025
2. "Supercritical: Companies Face 2030 Shortfall As Biochar Carbon Removal Supply Tightens" Carbon Herald. March 6, 2025
3. A BeZero Carbon ex ante Rating represents BeZero’s opinion on the likelihood of a pre-issuance carbon credit achieving a tonne of CO2e avoided or removed. It is an opinion on the greenhouse gas efficacy of a pre-issuance carbon credit. The BeZero Carbon ex ante Rating is conveyed using an eight-point alphabetical scale ranging from ‘highest’ to ‘lowest’ likelihood.