The effort of two environmental groups kept a portion of the forest intact near Mount Rainier and allowed Microsoft to finance the projects to offset carbon dioxide the company emits.

According to reports from Newser, the initiatives by the two environmental groups have saved 520 acres of Douglas fir and western hemlocks. These types of trees are capable of storing carbon dioxide for 100 years.

Projects like these allow companies and individuals to buy credits to offset the amount of greenhouse gas they emit. These projects can range from wind farms or similar projects that trap methane from landfills.

This is how it works. For every metric ton of carbon dioxide that the forest stores, the project developers can sell a certificate to companies who are willing to help finance the conservation and restoration of the forest.

In this case, Redmond-based Microsoft Corp. has agreed to buy the large majority of credits.  As part of its own initiative to be environment-friendly in its data centers, offices, software development laboratories and employee air travel, the company has agreed to buy 35,000 credits.

According to Rob Bernard, chief environmental strategist at Microsoft, they are excited to be a part of this project. "We were excited to be able to do something in our home state."       

The project was a collaboration of two environmental groups, the Washington Environment Council and Nisqually Land Trust. They believe that forests play a significant role in combating climate change.

Microsoft is reported to offset more than 1.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide worldwide since 2012. The credit from the Nisqually project is just but a small portion of their overall efforts.

However, some would worry that offset projects like this will not be able to deliver the benefits they claim. The process involves rigorous carbon monitoring and reporting for long periods of time. This is to verify that they have met the rigid standards of California.

The proceeds from the sale of credits will be used to manage the forest for ecological restorations. The property is said to be home to many endangered spotted owls and marbled murrelets.

Neither Microsoft nor the project developers would disclose how much the company agreed to pay.

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