Eastern Cape thicket restoration and reforestation project The project partners will, through a private-private-partnership, implement a large-scale restoration of the local semi-arid ecosystem near the town of Uitenhage. In the pilot phase an area of 3,600 ha will be restored. The total area of degraded land in this part of the country, suitable for restoration through the same approach is about 500,000 ha. The cause of the degradation in this area is overgrazing by sheep and goats.The project partners will restore the original ecosystem by planting Spekboom on the degraded land. This land is owned by private farmers, who will sign a contract and cooperate in making sure that no overgrazing will take place again. By planting Spekboom, the soil will become suitable for other local plant species to grow there again. The project will generate income by means of the sales of Carbon Credits on the Voluntary market (VERs).Applicant International Consultancy Europe B.V. and local partner Kowie Forest Adventures C.C. will establish a joint venture. Kowie Forest Adventures C.C. is the expert on the local ecosystem, including the Spekboom, while International Consultancy Europe B.V. has a lot of experience on the Carbon Credits market.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)The joint venture will implement a full Corporate Social Responsibility Policy.This policy focuses on labour standards, personnel policy, employee participation, health and safety of employees, environment and food safety, rights of local population, human rights and corruption. The defined project results include two Environmental Impact Assessments, a socio-economic analysis of the local economic landscape after the project, a CCBA certification and HIV / AIDS awareness training.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsBy the end of the project the joint venture will employ 65 basic-level employees and 15 medium-level employees. After the pilot period 30 to 35 of them will keep working on the pilot site for after care and monitoring. The rest will move on to the expansion areas. Two years after the pilot phase the number of employees will have increased to 97 basic-level and 27 medium-level employees.The basic-level employees will receive a regular minimum wage. All employees are full-time employed; there will be no seasonal workers. A mentoring structure will be set up in order to assist potential candidates to move from basic-level to medium-level positions over time.Working conditions will be of high quality as stipulated by labour laws and general good HR practice. For instance, employees will be provided with appropriate maternity leave, sick leave and annual leave according to existing South African labour laws. Employees will be provided with transport and accommodation during the working week, if required.•	Innovation / Transfer of knowledgeThe knowledge of Kowie Forest Adventures C.C. is currently available mainly in the academic society and will now be transferred to the workers of the joint venture. General awareness of the possibility of the sales of credits for sequestered carbon will be transferred to the employees of the joint venture and as a spin-off also to the farmers whose land is being reforested. Also, management skill will be transferred to the employees.•	Chain effectsThe most important chain effect is that the farmers will be able to use the land which will be reforested for farming again. Since agriculture is about the only employer in the area, this will potentially have a big long-term impact on employment in the area.•	EnvironmentThe project aims to restore land and sequester carbon and as such is a net positive for the environment. Potential spin-offs include re-introduction of species like black rhinos and elephants.An Environmental Impact Assessment will be done. The project will adhere to the CCBA standards, indicating the commitment to biodiversity conservation. The Spekboom cuttings will be taken from trees in the same area, so with the same genotype and adapted to the local circumstances. Project partners will make sure not to take too many cuttings of one and the same tree.•	Position of women60% of the total workforce will be women, both on the basic- and medium-level positions. There will be equal opportunity for women in terms of training and capacity building as well as promotion. The restoration of the local ecosystem on 3,600 ha of degraded land, by planting Spekboom, through a private-private-partnership resulting in the sales of 30,000 Voluntary Emission Rights (VERs) per year.