Legally protect restored forest to secure carbon sequestration because stored carbon only has climate value when it is maintained over time. Restoration without long-term protection can create temporary gains that are later lost through land-use change or degradation.
For Gelderland carbon opportunities, this means that governance matters as much as planting. Legal protection, monitoring and land-use agreements help turn forest restoration into a credible sequestration measure. They also reduce reversal risk and make the climate benefit easier to include in regional planning.