Pittsburgh Penguins Partner with West Virginia Land Trust to Support Forest Conservation and Sustainability
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia Land Trust (WVLT) and the Pittsburgh Penguins have partnered to support forest conservation and sustainability through the purchase of carbon credits generated at WVLT’s 36-acre Airport Park Preserve in Morgantown.
The transaction was facilitated by EQT Corporation in support of the Penguins’ Penguins Pledge sustainability initiative, which focuses on reducing the environmental impact of the organization and creating positive environmental change. This purchase offsets the emissions during the Penguins 2023-24 season.
Certified through City Forest Credits, the carbon credits represent verified environmental benefits provided by conserved forests across the region—including carbon captured and stored by trees, stormwater absorbed by forested land, and improvements to air quality.
Once purchased and retired on behalf of the Penguins, the credits are permanently removed from the marketplace and are no longer available for sale. This ensures that the environmental benefits represented by those credits cannot be claimed or used by another organization.
What is a carbon credit?
For those unfamiliar with carbon credits, the concept is relatively simple: a carbon credit represents a verified amount of greenhouse gas emissions that have been reduced, avoided or removed from the atmosphere.
Forests are natural carbon-storage systems. As trees grow, they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store carbon in their trunks, branches, roots and surrounding soil. Protecting forests helps keep that carbon stored while also providing other environmental benefits.
When those benefits are measured and verified through an established certification program, they can be represented as carbon credits. Organizations can then purchase and retire those credits as part of their efforts to address their carbon footprint.
In the case of Airport Park Preserve, the credits recognize the environmental benefits of keeping a forested property protected. Those benefits extend beyond carbon storage.
“When we protect a forest, we’re protecting much more than trees,” said Rick Landenberger, WVLT Science and Land Management Specialist. “These forests capture carbon, absorb stormwater, improve air quality, provide habitat for wildlife and create places where people can connect with nature. This partnership with the Pittsburgh Penguins and EQT demonstrates the many ways conservation can create lasting benefits for our communities and our environment.”
Protecting a place for people and nature
Located in Morgantown, Airport Park Preserve encompasses 36 acres of forested land that WVLT is working to transform into a community recreation destination. Future plans for the preserve include parking, hiking trails and signage to help visitors navigate and experience the property.
The Penguins’ investment in carbon credits associated with Airport Park Preserve provides an additional way for the property to deliver benefits to the community while supporting the long-term conservation of its forest.
“Airport Park is a great example of how one protected property can serve many purposes,” said Adam Webster, WVLT Stewardship Director. “It will provide a place for people to hike and enjoy nature, protect forest and wildlife habitat, help manage stormwater, improve air quality and store carbon. We’re grateful to the Penguins and EQT for recognizing the value of this land and helping demonstrate the broader impact of conservation.”
The partnership reflects the growing connection between land conservation, community recreation and environmental sustainability. By investing in verified benefits from conserved forests, organizations can help support the protection of natural landscapes while addressing their environmental goals.
