Regenerative livestock farming: what changes when forests, soil, and carbon become the center of production?

Is it possible to raise cattle, generate revenue from timber, sequester carbon, and still conserve biodiversity? At Coisa Boa Farm in Maranhão, this is already a reality. This article is an invitation to explore a new way of raising livestock, where the integration of forests, pastures, and accessible technologies transforms degraded areas into environmental and economic assets. But before talking about the future, we need to understand what's at stake.

The content was based on the free eBook “ Regenerative livestock farming and integrated systems in the carbon market – From theory to practice | Fazenda Coisa Boa Case ”, prepared from the technical live “ILPF 75”, with Ronaldo Trecenti, Prof. Rogério Maurício (UFSJ / GASL–FAO) and Mauroni Cangussú, from Fazenda Coisa Boa.

Invisible costs and the new logic of livestock production

Recent FAO reports estimate that it would take the equivalent of 1/3 of the value of global agricultural exports just to offset the hidden costs of food production, such as soil degradation, biodiversity loss, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.

In this scenario, regenerative livestock farming emerges as an urgent and possible response : more profitable, more resilient and aligned with climate goals.

Integrated systems: planting, creating and preserving at the same time

By integrating trees, pasture, and agricultural crops, producers can diversify their income, increase system resilience, and contribute to environmental balance.

Species such as teak, paricá, gliricidia and eucalyptus are used not only as a source of wood, but also to regenerate soil, promote biodiversity, provide shade for livestock and capture carbon from the atmosphere .

Carbon: from villain to financial asset

With technical support and the use of technologies such as georeferencing applications , producers can measure the carbon sequestered by trees and generate credits for the voluntary market — in many cases, with direct payments, without intermediaries.

This carbon monetization already represents up to 30% of the value of regenerative projects like Coisa Boa.

Technology that fits in the field (and in your pocket)

Applications like Work ETR allow you to record images, dates, and planting locations, enabling you to build an auditable history of your property. This ensures traceability, facilitates certification, and increases the environmental value of production , even on medium-sized properties.

An example farm: Good Thing by name, regenerative by essence

The experience of Fazenda Coisa Boa, which implemented 193 hectares of silvopastoral system with interspersed trees and pastures, is reported in detail in the eBook “Regenerative livestock farming and integrated systems in the carbon market - From theory to practice case Fazenda Coisa Boa” .

With support from the startup WorkingTrees, the project has already generated approximately R$500,000 in carbon revenue in its first phase, without sacrificing livestock farming. The result: increased productivity, increased timber value, financial returns from carbon, and environmental conservation integrated into the farm's culture.

Why read the full eBook?

Because it goes beyond theory. It presents data, maps, methodologies, and real decisions from those on the front lines of the transition to regenerative livestock farming. The content is technical yet accessible. Scientific yet practical. And, above all, inspiring.

📥 Download the free eBook "Regenerative Livestock and Integrated Systems in the Carbon Market: From Theory to Practice" and discover how forests and pastures can work together towards a more productive and sustainable future. 👉 Visit: https://www.esgpec.com.br/ebook-pecuaria-regenerativa