Candlewick is committed to renewing denuded and degraded lands in the Philippines through large-scale reforestation, achieving significant carbon reduction and biodiversity conservation. Developing new protection forests with native pioneer tree species catalyzes natural succession and the return of native forests.

The CODE Program

The Carbon Offset Development Enterprise (CODE) Program is a 30-year forest restoration project aimed at restoring 50,000 hectares degraded and marginal lands in the Island of Negros in the Philippines. It is a climate and poverty intervention program achieving effective forest landscape restoration through the establishment of extensive carbon-rich forests, in the process creating significant livelihood opportunities for local communities.

A key part of CODE is the targeted development of land that is already currently deforested, degraded and marginal. This allows for a clear baseline against which program success can be measured over time. The CODE Program capitalizes on the experience and expertise of Candlewick, currently an industry leader in forest development in the Philippines.

CODE will deliver tangible climate, community and biodiversity benefits. The program’s focus on using indigenous pioneer tree species attractive to local fauna will help restore biodiversity while the tight relationship with local upland communities provides the vital social licensing and community participation necessary to ensure forest restoration success.