Background information

In Chiapas, as much as 57% of emissions come from deforestation, and around 60% of project participants are indigenous. These groups are characterized by a strong cultural connection and a cultural heritage linked to small-scale agriculture and livestock. However, it is a socio-economically vulnerable group due to social exclusion from the rest of society.

These regions have the highest levels of poverty in the country and also stand out for being particularly vulnerable to climate change. At the same time, there is a wealth of high biodiversity to protect, and the area is home to several keystone species.

The project

Scolel’te means “the tree that grows” in the Mayan language Tzeltal, and just as the name suggests, this project aims to reforest degraded areas and work with sustainable agriculture. The project was started in 1997 and has been operating continuously since then.

As the project uses agroforestry methods, it provides several benefits, both for project participants and the environment. By working with local communities and small farmers with underutilized land, there is an opportunity for rapid recovery of these deforested areas. In addition, it provides socioeconomic benefits as participants can receive additional income from the crops they intercrop with the planted trees. As in all Plan Vivo projects, 60% of the revenue goes directly to the small farmers.

Unique feature

This project is unique as it is not only the first project to be certified by Plan Vivo, but also the world's first project to produce credits on the voluntary market for the purchase of carbon credits. In 2013, the project was awarded The Mexican National Forest Merit Award.

The project contributes to the following objectives

Watch a movie about The tree that grows - Scolel'te project