Find New Income Streams for Your Land

The Natural Capital Exchange (NCX) is a marketplace where you can get paid for carbon.wildlife.water.timber.solar energy.recreation. carbon.

Easily find the right programs for you and your land.

Program Map

Enter your property’s address or county and select your parcels for an instant look at the number of programs you may be eligible for.

Program Highlights


Explore Programs for Your Land

These are just a few of the income-generating programs available on NCX.

  • Tree Planting Carbon

    Up to $50/acre per year + revenue share

    Tree Planting

    Get paid to have trees planted on acres that can support a healthy forest. Many programs cover the full cost of planting and maintenance.

  • Recreational Leasing

    Up to $30/acre per year

    Recreation

    Hunting leases, farm tours, and other recreational programs can be a flexible and low-impact way to monetize the natural areas on your property.

  • Forest Carbon Credits

    $10-25/acre per year

    Harvest Deferral

    If you are willing to reduce timber harvests on your existing woodlands, you can earn revenue from forest carbon programs.

  • Solar Farming

    $800-$2,500/acre per year

    Renewable Energy

    Transform unproductive land into a profitable asset while generating clean power for your community

Get Started

Take your first steps to becoming a natural capitalist. NCX is your guide every step of the way.

5 Simple Steps

  • 01 Create a free account

    No fees and no acreage minimums

  • 02 NCX curates a list of programs

    Just for your unique property

  • 03 Compare programs

    See how much you could make

  • 04 Connect with an NCX expert

    Book a consultation to discuss your goals

  • 05 Enroll in the program of your choice

    Start getting paid

Hear from Landowners Like You

Quote
This marketplace is awesome. Honestly, this stuff has been weighing on me and this is just what I need to get information and move forward confidently.
— John A. from Michigan
Speaking with NCX can introduce and educate landowners to a variety of environmental solutions that can be profitable for both the land and property owners. I would recommend talking to NCX to understand what programs might work for property owners.
— Austin A. from Virginia
There are so many programs available for land owners and it’s almost impossible to navigate or access the possibilities. NCX provides that missing link and it’s at your fingertips.
— Michael W
What you put together is what I wanted, but didn’t know how to ask for.
— James P.
I feel like I have somebody who is looking after my interests so I don’t do something that costs me down the road.
— Paul H.
I am trying to make money, but was about to give away money. Glad I engaged you guys.
— Orlando T.
One of the things that has kept me from committing to these things in the past is the worry that I am missing something else that might be going on. But with this, I don’t worry about that anymore.
— James P.
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Landowner Success Stories
  • Will Smith

    Landowner in Chicago | 46 acres enrolled in a Harvest Deferral program

    “The NCX platform is easy to use and navigate and allowed me to compare the costs and benefits of various programs in plain, easy-to-understand language that incorporated the unique attributes of my own property.”


    Hello, I’m Will Smith. I’m originally from Maine but now reside in Chicago with my wife Andrea and our two children, Coren and Preston. Back in the late 1980s, my parents purchased about 70 acres of forestland in the western Maine town of Lovell. This property had been used to produce forest products, such as match sticks for the Diamond Match Company, since the 1920s. I purchased a 46-acre parcel from them in 2012, which includes a natural viewpoint on the summit of Stone Hill overlooking the White Mountain National Forest and the 6,288’ peak of Mount Washington. The property also abuts conservation lands managed by the Greater Lovell Land Trust. I invested in building a gravel road to access the property as well as a tent platform for camping and clearing trails for hiking. The property is currently under a forest management plan with a licensed forester.

    My forest management plan is structured to promote the recreational and aesthetic value of the property during tree growth, while supporting wildlife and land conservation. To support these objectives, I began to research alternative income streams for the property that did not require an immediate harvest. We first attempted to build and rent out a campsite on the property, but this proved too difficult since I lived too far away to actively maintain and manage the site. I then read a news article about carbon offset markets which led me to NCX.

    I was particularly interested in natural capital programs designed for small property owners like myself, and which would allow me to continue my current land management practices. I had assumed that eligibility for most programs was only open to properties of 100+ acres, but found that many programs are open to properties as small as 40 acres.

    I was quickly able to enter my information in the NCX platform and verify my property eligibility. The mapping tools were very user-friendly, even for locating a smaller backlot like mine. Learning about all the available program options was intimidating at first, but I found it easy to find answers to most of my questions using the online help features.

    After evaluating several proposals, I signed a contract for a harvest deferral program. My wife Andrea and I were excited to participate in a program that allowed us to play a small part in mitigating carbon emissions, while offering a viable revenue stream in place of a traditional harvest. Our projected annual revenue will roughly offset our direct costs for property taxes and ongoing maintenance. This allows us to enjoy our land with the peace of mind that we are fulfilling our forest management plan obligations while reinvesting our program revenue to improve forest health, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities such as hunting and hiking.

    NCX was my first experience with natural capital markets and offered a wealth of program options and educational opportunities to better prepare me to enter into a formal program agreement. The NCX platform is easy to use and navigate and allowed me to compare the costs and benefits of various programs in plain, easy-to-understand language that incorporated the unique attributes of my own property.

    I wish more small woodlot owners like me knew about the natural capital programs that are available to them. There was so much I didn’t know when I first began researching opportunities for my property, and I’m glad I found a resource like NCX to help me navigate the marketplace. My parents own an adjacent parcel to mine. I plan to help them navigate the NCX marketplace, so perhaps they too can benefit from natural capital markets.

    For other landowners who are struggling to find the right program for their land, remember there is no “one size fits all” solution. Educating yourself on program availability, eligibility, revenue potential, and more is key to finding success. Take your time, ask clarifying questions, compare offers, and consult your trusted forester to find a program most suitable to you. An excellent place to start this journey is with NCX.

  • Jef Kahn

    Landowner in New York | 80 acres enrolled in a Forest Carbon program

    “Working with NCX was more than just about economics and helping with property taxes, which of course, is a good thing… This partnership has given me a way to stand up against the environmental challenges we’re all facing.”

    I am Jef, raised in Queens, NY. After finishing college, the only thing I was certain of was that I wanted to live in the country. In the mid-’80s, I found an affordable 80 acres of land in somewhat neglected shape, but with a nice combination of mountainous forest and rolling pasture. Over the last 40 years, I’ve added a pond, built a house, and raised a family here. I like to think I helped create an integrated, sustainable farm.

    My values drive me to be a good custodian of my property, as it has provided so much to us. As retirement approaches, I wanted to make more permanent my intentions for the property. I know I have little control over what eventually happens, but I wanted to do my best to influence the outcome. I gave back my division rights to the county (in return for a tax deduction) by placing the property in a conservation easement to prevent any future owner from subdividing. I was also looking for a more proactive way to preserve the forest and ensure best management practices going forward. This is where NCX provided an effective solution, an additional layer of protection.

    I became aware of NCX through a mailing they sent to property owners in our area when they were offering their one-year harvest deferral program. I’ve since followed them as a business and was curious to learn more about the new Marketplace they’ve created. Their platform was instrumental in helping me understand what my land was eligible for and ultimately which program was the right fit for me. I’m now enrolled in a longer-term forest carbon program with an organization I might not have found otherwise without NCX.

    Working with NCX was more than just about economics and helping with property taxes, which of course, is a good thing. It’s also a way for me to participate in helping with some of the challenges we all are facing. I have been impressed with the thoroughness with which NCX has kept me informed and how they communicate with the people they work with. The questions I’ve asked over the years have been promptly answered. They have provided ample information through writings, emails, phone calls, and podcasts, which had great value. This partnership has given me a way to stand up against the environmental challenges we’re all facing.

    Perhaps the lesson I have learned and want to share with other landowners is that there are some small ways in which I can affect what may contribute to meaningful change, to the benefit of us all. NCX has been an important part of helping me achieve my vision for, what is for the time being, my property.

People + Planet

Join the largest community of natural capitalists in America

  • $20M Payments to landowners
  • 22,000 Landowners
  • 34M Acres

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