Tswalu Kalahari, a private wildlife reserve in the Northern Cape, has become the first privately protected area in southern Africa to earn carbon credits through wildlife management interventions.
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The initiative, developed in collaboration with Oppenheimer Generations Research & Conservation and Rewild Capital, is designed to restore degraded ecosystems, support conservation and community development, and deliver measurable economic benefits.
The carbon project differs from conventional schemes by actively removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere via conservative grazing and regenerative practices. By managing wildlife populations and restoring natural grazing patterns, the reserve increases soil carbon storage while rehabilitating overgrazed land.
Why this carbon project is different from the rest
Wouter Jordaan, head of conservation at Tswalu, explains: “When it comes to stocking rates, upper and lower limits are dependent on prevailing climatic conditions and veld conditions.
“This varies between wet and dry cycles and is adjusted accordingly based on accumulated rainfall and prevailing veld conditions.”
Integrating former livestock farms has helped restore grasslands, enhancing carbon sequestration.
Over the past five years, the average grass cover increased from 38% in 2017 to 57% in 2022, promoting the development of deeper root systems and long-term carbon storage.
Soil is nature’s carbon bank account
Carbon credits are verified through 59 soil monitoring stations across the reserve, providing independent data rather than theoretical estimates.
This ensures high integrity and transparency in the carbon market.
Independently audited carbon credits
The project is certified by Credible Carbon, a South African carbon registry. The first vintage in 2022 produced 34,471 verified carbon units, with 6,179 credits used to offset Tswalu’s operational emissions.
Remaining credits were sold, including 4,000 to Nutec Digital Ink and 1,200 to the Earthshot Prize. A second vintage will be issued in late 2025, following follow-up audits. The project is planned to continue until 2039, with a projected 274,534 carbon credits over 21 years.
From ecological degradation to restored wildlife habitat
Tswalu’s conservation efforts have transformed over 50 degraded farms into thriving habitats. Biodiversity has increased, with 75 mammal species, 70 dung beetle species, and 24 protected plant species now present.
The project also links ecological restoration with community development, providing employment, accommodation, healthcare, and education to residents.
A blueprint for conservation across Africa
Matthew Child of Rewild Capital adds: “The Tswalu project serves as a model for how wildlife and rewilding can be utilised to restore ecosystem functioning, pioneering an innovative solution for other protected areas – and potential protected areas – in South Africa and beyond.
“This scalable approach offers hope for transforming conservation across southern Africa and beyond.”
Revenue from carbon credit sales will be reinvested in conservation, supporting Tswalu’s goal of regenerative stewardship and offering a replicable funding model that reduces reliance on philanthropy or tourism alone.
