The Sandy Cross Forest Preservation Project (“the Project”) is a 132-acre Project Area on a 214-acre property in the Mansfield metro area. Western Reserve Land Conservancy (“the Land Conservancy”) is seeking to preserve the Project, creating substantial conservation and community benefits including carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, and open space protection.

Preservation of the Project is important as intact forests of this size are becoming increasingly rare in Richland County due to agricultural development and urban expansion. Indeed, surrounding forested land is being rapidly converted into agricultural land and is facing a continued threat of urban expansion from the adjacent Village of Lexington.

The Project contains a diverse, 85-year forest including yellow poplar, sugar maple, oak, black cherry, and pine. Preservation of this forest will offer the residents of Northeast Ohio a wide variety of community and conservation benefits, including:

• Improve equitable access to greenspace for underserved communities
• Increase valuable open space
• Human health and well-being
• Critical bird and wildlife habitat

This is the second project in the Western Reserve Land Conservancy’s carbon program. The Land Conservancy’s effort to protect the Project fits into a larger, strategic, county-wide comprehensive plan involving the Richland County Parks District, and other conservation entities.

Please visit the Bainbridge Forest page for information on other Western Reserve Land Conservancy projects.

Total Credits Issued: 17,144

• 2021: 6,497 credits issued
• 2022: 6,497 credits issued
• 2023: 4,150 credits issued

Total Credits Sold: 6,804

• 2022: 6,804 credits sold

Total Credits Retired: 2,833

• 2022: 307 credits retired
• 2023: 2,026 credits retired
• 2024: 500 credits retired

Total Credits Cancelled: 0

Total Credits Available for Purchase: 10,340

In addition to carbon sequestration, the 132-acre Sandy Cross Forest Project will offer important co-benefits as a result of its established tree canopy.

These ecosystem services represent values (avoided costs) of $289,948 per year, and $11,597,912 over 40 years.

• Rain interception (stormwater management) – 63,908 m3/year, $135,077 per year
• Air quality – 4.43 tons/year, $10,933 per year
• Energy – cooling (electricity) – 193,111 kWh/year, $27,055 per year
• Energy – heating (natural gas) – 7,979,687 kBtu/year, $111,606 per year
• Avoided CO2 from energy savings – 264 tons/year – $5,277