The Lee and Betty Sharp Orchard and Woods Preservation Project presents a critical opportunity to protect ecologically valuable land while supporting broader regional conservation goals. Jackson County, Mississippi, has experienced consistent urban and industrial growth in recent decades, placing increasing pressure on its remaining natural landscapes. Preserving these parcels ensures the continued presence of intact green space that supports native biodiversity and sustains habitat for regionally important species. Regional conservation assessments classify much of the surrounding area as having medium to high ecological value, underscoring the importance of maintaining natural habitat and ecological function.

The property lies between De Soto National Forest and the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, two major conservation areas that support a range of rare and sensitive species. The protection of this forested parcel helps to bridge the widening ecological gap between these reserves, enhancing landscape connectivity and enabling wildlife movement across fragmented habitats. In the face of ongoing development and climate stressors impacting Mississippi’s coastal forests, the protection of this property represents a proactive step toward safeguarding ecosystems that deliver lasting benefits to both wildlife and local communities.

The forested landscape of the Lee and Betty Sharp Orchard and Woods plays a critical role in mitigating flood risk, stabilizing soils, improving air quality, and filtering surface water before it reaches downstream systems. These functions are especially important in low-lying coastal regions prone to heavy rainfall and runoff. The property’s dense canopy also helps regulate the local climate by reducing heat island effects and buffering against extreme weather events. This preservation effort represents an investment in the region’s environmental health, biodiversity, and quality of life for future generations.

Total Credits Issued: 3,413

• 2026: 3,413 credits issued

Total Credits Sold: 0

Total Credits Retired: 0

Total Credits Cancelled: 0

Total Credits Available for Purchase: 3,413

Co-Benefits

Forest preservation projects not only reduce carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, but provide ecosystem services or co-benefits that can be quantified. The co-benefits from this project represent a savings (avoided costs) of $49,718 per year, and $1,988,720 over 40 years.

• Rain interception (stormwater management) – 15,832 m3/year, $41,411 per year
• Air quality – 1.0977 t/yr, $2,195 per year
• Energy – cooling (electricity) – 79,937 kWh/year, $5,839 per year
• Energy – heating (natural gas) – 26,074 kBtu/year, $270 per year

Social Impacts

The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an urgent call for action and global partnership among all countries, representing key benchmarks for creating a better world and environment for everyone. Well-designed and managed urban forests make significant contributions to the environmental sustainability, economic viability and livability of cities.

The main SDGs for this project are described below, with more detailed information in the Project Design Document.

The presence of these preserved trees will help slow down and absorb excess runoff which is incredibly important and can make a significant difference in the severity of floods, which will have a huge impact on the wellbeing of the local population. Flooding can result in catastrophic property damage and loss of life.

The protection of forests along coastal areas is critically important to coastal health. Coastal areas such as those directly south of the project area tend to experience serious negative effects in the absence of upstream forests, including loss of land due to excessive erosion and plummets in water quality due to nutrient pollution.

This forest is under a mile from Interstate 10, which is the largest transportation artery in the area. The property also lies directly on one of the highest-traffic roads in the neighborhood. This forest has a high potential for the screening of pollutants released by motor vehicles along these routes.