Carbon Credit Projects in Agriculture and Forest

AgroEcology_Italy an Alberami's project

Led the technical team in establishing Italy's first accredited agricultural carbon credit project with Alberami, setting new standards for sustainable farming practices.

Currently serving as the Head of Carbon Projects and Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV).

Dr. Do Couto was the technical lead responsible for the approval of the Project Design Document (PDD) and MRV at the International Carbon Registry.

This project successfully generated over 8,000 vintagen carbon credits and achieved an estimated annual average GHG emission mitigation of 1,142,682 t CO2-e per year, marking a significant achievement in Italy's carbon market.

Highlighted Achievements and projects

In this section, I proudly showcase the pivotal projects that have shaped my career, offering a tangible demonstration of my diverse skill set acquired through extensive professional experiences in various environmental domains.

Integration of Geotechnology for Regerenative Agriculture and Habitat conservation

2014 - 2016​

Goal: to promote fruit crop productivity and habitat preservation by increasing pollinator biodiversity and creating a comprehensive map of the remaining Atlantic Forest areas over a 25-year period from 1991 to 2016.

Exploring the potential of remote sensing

In order to compute the mean Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) over a specific period, a series of steps involved the analysis of Landsat satellite imagery spanning the years 1991 to 2016. This comprehensive analysis was conducted using the powerful SPRING® software, a tool known for its capabilities in handling remote sensing data and image processing.

Following the initial preprocessing and NDVI calculation phases, the next step involved assessing the landscape characteristics and patterns. To achieve this, the renowned FRAGSTATS® software was employed. FRAGSTATS® is a specialized software package designed for landscape ecology, enabling the calculation of various landscape metrics. These metrics provide valuable insights into the spatial distribution and arrangement of vegetation and land cover features within the study area.

A reduction in the number of forest fragments since 1991 was observed, with a maximum amount of 5243 fragments in 1993 that declined to 4015 fragments in 2016. Although the number of fragments in the watershed decreased, the mean area increased by 72.9% and the mean shape index increased from 1.3 in 1991 to 1.5 in 2016.

In addition, we identify surface erosive features in landscapes characterized by sandy substrates through the utilization of multispectral indexes combined with high-resolution satellite imagery. This comprehensive study was conducted within the town of Cianorte, with the primary aim of providing valuable insights to inform decision-makers regarding optimal soil utilization and land occupation practices.

Protected Areas: Land-Use Land-Cover Change and Prioritization

Human activities that change the landscape are the main causes of harmful environmental problems like deforestation, the decline of biodiversity worldwide, and disruptions in how ecosystems work. These changes to the landscape happen in different ways and at different times. Typically, the places that are most productive for economic activities, like farming or being close to cities, are the first to be changed. At the same time, the original natural areas are usually left in less productive places or areas that are difficult to reach.

This way of using the land has serious effects on how habitats connect and how different species are spread out. So, it's really important to figure out and measure these changes in how the land is used. This helps us understand the complex ways that human actions affect the landscape.

Project Goal:
The goal of this project was to comprehensively assess the impact of land-use and land-cover change on protected areas and develop a prioritization strategy to enhance their conservation and sustainable management.

Our main results from the paper "Significance of forest fragments for conservation of endangered vascular plant species in southern Brazil hotspots" indicate that forest fragments in southern Brazil hotspots play a crucial role in the conservation of endangered vascular plant species. These fragments serve as refuges for these species, helping to maintain their populations and biodiversity. The study underscores the importance of protecting and managing these forest fragments to safeguard endangered plant species in this region.

And in the paper "Assessing the role of protected areas in the land-use change dynamics of a biodiversity hotspot"
Despite the increasing changes humans are making to the landscape, protected areas (PAs) play a vital role in slowing down these changes and protecting nature, especially from things like expanding farms. PAs that have stricter rules to protect them have fewer human-made changes in the landscape. On the other hand, PAs with fewer rules tend to see more changes caused by people. This might be because the rules aren't strong enough, or it could be because changes happening in one area spill over into these PAs.

But, it's important to note that both types of PAs seem to be doing their job, which is to protect nature or find a balance between protecting nature and letting people use the land.

Figuring out how well PAs are working can be tough, but it's essential for making good decisions to protect the environment. To do this, we need to have better communication between the people who live near PAs, scientists, and the people who make decisions about them. This way, we can use science to make better choices that help nature, society, and the economy.

Campo River Clean Project

2018-2022

The Rio do Campo Limpo Project is an important example of how academia can work in partnership with the community to promote environmental preservation. The project has contributed to the improvement of the quality of the water in the Rio do Campo and to raising awareness among the population about the importance of preserving water resources.

 

Goals

Monitoring the quality of water and sediments in the river;

Environmental education with the local community;

Revitalization of degraded areas along the river.

The multiple uses of watersheds and the urban sprawl around rivers have significant impacts on aquatic environments. For instance, agricultural practices often involve the heavy use of chemical fertilizers and agrochemicals, which can leach into the soil and eventually find their way into rivers. Similarly, domestic and industrial waste is often discharged into rivers without proper treatment, adding a significant load of contaminants to aquatic ecosystems. These activities collectively lead to water pollution, encompassing both organic and inorganic pollutants, which can gradually accumulate in sediment over time.

Consequently, these human activities not only affect the quality of water supplies but also result in the pollution of river sediment. This pollution presents ecological risks that can disrupt the delicate balance of aquatic ecosystems, further underscoring the importance of sustainable practices and proper management to safeguard our water resources and the health of our rivers.

Achievements

• We have a dedicated group of 15 environmental engineering students.
• Over the course of 4 years, we conducted comprehensive water quality monitoring.
• We actively participated in World Cleanup Day, with 1,000 people joining our efforts.
• Together, we collected a substantial 50 tons of garbage from the river banks, contributing significantly to environmental cleanliness.
• We demonstrated our commitment to environmental justice by submitting two reports to the Public Prosecutor's office regarding environmental concerns.
• Our team utilized drone technology to map out 100 hectares of land.
• We organized and conducted 6 training courses to spread knowledge and awareness on environmental issues.
• We hosted 8 scientific exhibitions to showcase our research and findings.
• As part of our environmental conservation efforts, we successfully reforested 10 areas.
• Our team made a mark in the media world by filming 2 TV programs and recording 2 radio programs to raise environmental awareness.
• Our dedication and hard work paid off, as we received 2 state awards for the best projects.
• We also contributed significantly to the academic community by publishing 4 international papers, furthering our understanding of environmental engineering and sustainability.