Planting of trees on unused and severely degraded land

The project begins with a systematic identification of land parcels that are suitable for afforestation under the Climate‑Resilient‑Carbon‑Footprint (CRCF) framework. To achieve this, IABG adapts the geospatial classification model originally developed in the Horizon 2020 Marginal Lands (MAIL) programme, extending it to the specific biogeographic zones of the pilot area. A multi‑criteria analysis integrates high‑resolution land‑cover, soil, topography and climate datasets, establishing a robust backbone for pinpointing CRCF‑eligible sites. Hard exclusion criteria—such as urban land‑use classes, protected areas and water bodies—are applied first to eliminate clearly unsuitable pixels. The remaining landscape is then evaluated against a suite of soft environmental and biophysical factors (e.g., slope, precipitation regime, soil organic‑matter content). Each soft factor receives a weight that reflects its relative importance, and the weighted values are combined into a marginality index. This index ranks every candidate pixel by its suitability for tree planting versus alternative land‑use options, delivering a GIS‑ready map that highlights the most promising afforestation opportunities.

For each eligible parcel the carbon‑sequestration potential is calculated using species‑specific allometric equations, which translate projected tree height and stem diameter into estimates of above‑ground biomass and stored carbon. These equations are embedded in an interactive calculator that allows users to model a range of planting scenarios—varying species mix, planting density and management regime—to forecast carbon uptake beyond the baseline. The resulting scenario outputs feed directly into a suite of EO‑based products designed to meet every CRCF requirement: baseline determination, uncertainty quantification, avoidance of double‑counting, leakage estimation and the assessment of co‑benefits for biodiversity. By coupling rigorous geospatial selection with transparent, science‑based carbon accounting, the methodology delivers a fully compliant, end‑to‑end solution for converting degraded lands into verified carbon‑removal assets.

Pilot sites

• Soria (Spain)

  CRCF case Forestry Carbon removals ecosystem

  5ha site with a 2019 Holme oak with truffle plantation in marginal lands

  An area of limestone soil that, prior to planting, was covered with shrubby grass and included a small area that was formerly used for dry farming (barley, wheat, and sunflowers).

• Brandenburg (Germany)

  CRCF case Forestry Carbon removals ecosystem

  1,54ha site with a 2022 Birch and broom plantation in marginal lands

  This test site was established on a reclamation site of the lignite open-cast mine Welzow-South. The soil consists of a mixture of different Quaternary and in part Tertiary substrates which have been dumped during the mining processes by spreaders.

Biomass Estimation in Tropical Forest – Innovative Pilot Site

Accurate monitoring of forest biomass, and especially of vertical structure and tree‑height, is a prerequisite for assessing ecosystem function and for reliable carbon‑stock management. Existing tropical‑forest biomass‑estimation techniques suffer from large uncertainties because of canopy complexity and limited sensor penetration. To overcome these limitations the pilot will exploit data from the upcoming ESA Biomass satellite, whose advanced Polarimetric Interferometric SAR (PolInSAR) and Tomographic SAR (TomoSAR) capabilities enable precise retrieval of three‑dimensional forest structure across large areas.

The radar‑derived height and canopy‑profile information will be complemented by hyperspectral imagery, which provides detailed spectral signatures for robust tree‑species classification. By distinguishing species with different wood density and growth patterns, the workflow can assign species‑specific carbon‑storage factors and thus capture the heterogeneity of carbon density within the stand. All observations are fed into the open‑source BIOMASS model, which produces calibrated Above‑Ground Biomass (AGB) and Above‑Ground Carbon (AGC) maps together with quantitative uncertainty estimates derived from sensor noise, model parameter variance and validation against field plots. The resulting products deliver a scientifically robust, repeatable baseline for CRCF certification and for ongoing monitoring of carbon dynamics in the tropical pilot area.

Pilot site

Vichada Department (Colombia)