In collaboration with the landowners, Mast has deactivated its feasibility review for the proposed Baccala Ranch carbon project. This decision was made to support the landowner’s reforestation objectives through alternative means, accelerated by recent grant funding.
The land, spanning Tehama and Plumas counties in California, will proceed with post-fire restoration across 490 acres, with Mast subsidiary Cal Forest Nurseries providing seedlings. Reforestation will be funded by a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Post-Fire Reforestation and Regeneration Grant award shared between the Maidu Summit Consortium and neighboring family landowners including the Baccala Ranch. Reforestation financing will not include the generation or sale of forestry-based carbon credits.
Reforestation Pathways
From the outset of its work at the Baccala Ranch, damaged by the 2021 Dixie fire, Mast identified multiple financing options to support post-fire reforestation. One potential source was carbon financing; another was a reforestation grant from the California Climate Investments (CCI) Program grant issued by CAL FIRE. The Baccala Ranch Project remained in preliminary feasibility review for carbon finance, while Mast supported the Maidu Summit Consortium and neighboring families in exploring all available reforestation pathways. With Mast's application assistance, the Maidu Summit Consortium and the Baccala Ranch landowners co-applied for and were awarded a $5M CAL FIRE Post-Fire Reforestation and Regeneration Grant. This accelerated the availability of reforestation capital to begin restoration.
A view of the Baccala Ranch damaged by the 2021 Dixie fire.
With Mast’s application assistance, the landowners of Baccala Ranch, the Maidu Summit Consortium and one other adjacent landowner were awarded a $5M CAL FIRE Post-Fire Reforestation and Regeneration Grant.
While a completed reforestation carbon project would have financed a long-term forest management endowment and conservation easement, it was determined that the multi-year timeline and steps required for credit authorization and sales did not meet the landowners’ objectives. Mast further determined that the site was not feasible for biomass burial, which can greatly accelerate reforestation financing through the generation of near-term carbon removal credits.
Carbon Streaming Corporation, which entered into a multi-project financing agreement with Mast in 2023, had not advanced any funds for the Baccala project.
Change the Pace of Reforestation with Mast
Learn more about how Mast’s recently announced project approach combining biomass burial and reforestation can expand and accelerate scalable, durable carbon removal and forest recovery. Together, we can redefine what’s possible for our forests and our planet.
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