We’re thrilled to announce that Taking Root has been named a winner of the Google Geo for Good Impact Award. Taking Root was selected for our innovative use of Google’s mapping and remote sensing tools to effectively restore forests and create high-integrity carbon removals in partnership with smallholder farmers.

Our innovative use of geospatial data

Taking Root was recognized for our integration of Google Earth Engine into our software platform to develop targeted and verified expansion strategies. By leveraging the platform’s remote sensing data, we can identify areas with the highest potential for forest restoration and scale our impact effectively. Additionally, we can ensure that the land parcels we recruit meet the necessary criteria for successful restoration and high-quality carbon removal.

“Winning the Google Geo for Good Impact Award is a testament to Taking Root’s innovative use of geospatial data to scale forest restoration efforts with smallholder farmers,” said David Baumann, Taking Root’s Methodology and Standards Director. “By combining remote sensing data accessed through Google Earth Engine with field data collected through our mobile app, we have rapidly expanded our forest restoration approach with thousands of smallholder farmers. The results are bringing about lasting impacts for climate, nature, and local communities.”

CommuniTree’s award-winning approach to scaling forest restoration

The successful application of Google’s tools within Taking Root’s software platform has been exemplified through the expansion of Taking Root’s CommuniTree Carbon Program, driving the project’s growth from a regional pilot into the largest reforestation project in Nicaragua. We continue to use Google’s tools to aid CommuniTree’s success by:

1. Identifying high potential areas for forest restoration; and
2. Validating parcel eligibility for growing trees and creating high quality carbon removals

Identifying high potential areas for forest restoration

While recruitment to CommuniTree is often driven by word of mouth and significant community engagement, a comprehensive analysis is conducted before entering any new region to verify that the context is suitable for forest restoration. This analysis involves cross-referencing data gathered via Google Earth Engine against Taking Root’s eligibility criteria, which include:

Land use: CommuniTree collaborates exclusively with smallholder farmers. We verify that the land use aligns with smallholder agricultural practices.

Tree cover: CommuniTree re-establishes forest cover on historically degraded land. Google Earth Engine confirms degraded areas, ensuring no existing forests are present, which is crucial for project additionality.

Elevation and precipitation ranges: CommuniTree grows tree species native to Nicaragua which require specific elevation and precipitation ranges to survive. We use satellite imagery to identify regions within the necessary ranges, ensuring the tree species have the appropriate climatic conditions to thrive.

Recent deforestation: CommuniTree avoids planting trees on recently deforested land. We use satellite images to confirm historical degradation. This ensures existing forests are preserved and not cut down to join the project.

Contested or protected landscapes: Taking Root avoids operating across protected or contested land to comply with international regulations and our Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) criteria. Google Earth Engine helps verify land status, avoiding indigenous territories and protected areas.

Regions with large areas meeting these eligibility criteria are incorporated into CommuniTree’s expansion strategy, with resources consolidated to recruit farmers into the program.

Validating parcel eligibility for growing trees and creating high-quality carbon removals

When a farmer expresses interest in joining the CommuniTree Carbon Program, field data collected through Taking Root’s mobile application is combined with Google Earth Engine data to ensure their land has the right conditions for successful reforestation and high-quality carbon removal. Not all land is suitable, as trees need specific conditions to survive, and the land must meet certain carbon removal standards.

To confirm eligibility, the parcel is mapped using Taking Root’s mobile application, and the data is fed into the Google Earth Engine pipeline to generate an automated report. This report acts as an internal control mechanism, checking the parcel against thresholds set by Taking Root based on indicators for successful restoration and carbon market requirements. The parameters described above as part of the project’s expansion analysis are checked at the parcel level, along with additional criteria, including:

Proximity to water: Interventions must be a minimum distance from a body of water to mitigate the risk of parcel failure due to flooding and protect existing water resources.

Size of intervention: Interventions must have a minimum size which varies depending on the planting design. This balances operational costs with revenue generated through the sale of carbon removal credits, ensuring sufficient support can be provided to farmers over a 10-year period.

Tree cover: To ensure the additionality of CommuniTree’s forest restoration activities, the parcel must have limited coverage by existing trees.

Only parcels that satisfy these eligibility criteria are integrated into the project. This approach enables collaboration with farmers and parcels most likely to grow healthy forests, reducing operational costs, promoting success, and amplifying the overall impact of the CommuniTree Carbon Program.

Our continuing commitment to quality and innovation

Gaining recognition from the Geo for Good Impact Award underscores our commitment to using innovative technology to restore the world’s forests and create high integrity carbon removals. Moreover, it highlights our commitment to growing the right trees in the right places so that land stewards can improve their livelihoods through forest restoration. While there is much more work to be done once a parcel of land is entered into the program, it lays the groundwork for success, maximizing the potential for lasting, real-world impacts.