Sustainability of Our Biomass
Where does our biomass come from?
Responsible biomass sourcing is the foundation of Exomad Green’s carbon removal model. As part of our feedstock policy, we source only sawmill residues—such as sawdust, offcuts, bark, and other processing by-products—and apply a rigorous system of supplier due diligence, legal verification, traceability, and forest monitoring before that biomass enters our operations. Every load can be linked back through the supplying sawmill to its registered forestry origins, supported by ABT documentation, approved forest management plans, and geographic coordinates. This system operates within Bolivia’s Law 1700 forestry framework. Exomad Green adds an additional layer of oversight through satellite-based monitoring of sourcing areas, using NDVI and historical imagery to detect vegetation changes over time. Satellite evidence shows long-term forest persistence around both Concepción and Riberalta, including the forest landscapes of northern Bolivia where our biomass supply originates.
Our approach is therefore built on three layers of protection: national forestry regulation, end-to-end biomass traceability, and independent monitoring of the forests connected to our supply chain.
On This Page
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Context: Bolivian Forestry Laws
Sustainable Forest Management
Exomad Biomass Sourcing Protections
The Process
Supplier Selection Protocol
End-To-End Traceability: Forest Monitoring Center
Context: Bolivian Forestry Laws
Bolivian forestry laws were established in collaboration with USAID over two decades ago. They comprehensively regulate the entire supply chain, spanning from extraction and transportation to processing and exportation all of this in the law 1700. Remarkably, these regulations have effectively nurtured a circular economy that has safeguarded Bolivian forests from the encroachment of agriculture.
The impact of these laws is demonstrable even from space. Satellite images vividly illustrate the stark contrast between Bolivian forests dedicated to sustainable forestry and neighboring areas in Brazil predominantly engaged in agricultural activities. The resilience and preservation of Bolivian forests, thanks to these legal frameworks, stand as a testament to their success
Sustainable Forest
Management
Sustainable Forest Management is the cornerstone of the law 1700. It is the controlled and selective use of forest resources. There is no clear-cutting. Forests are divided into management areas, trees are individually inventoried, and only those meeting strict technical criteria may be harvested. Seed trees of the harvestable species are retained for natural regeneration, extraction is carried out with low-impact methods, and each tree is traced through transport and processing. This allows the forest to remain standing, regenerate naturally, and continue functioning as a forest over the long term.
Long-term Forest Persistance in SFM Areas
Satellite imagery of the broader sourcing landscapes around Concepción and Riberalta shows long-term forest persistence, with the managed forest areas remaining predominantly forested over time. This is consistent with evidence reported by Tropenbos International: an IBIF analysis of the Bolivian Indigenous territories of Monte Verde, Lomerío and Guarayos found that between 1996 and 2018, areas under approved forest management plans with timber harvesting experienced only 0.56% deforestation, compared with 12.03% in areas under management plans without timber harvesting. While this comparison does not by itself prove causation, it provides strong evidence that regulated Sustainable Forest Management and selective harvesting are not synonymous with deforestation and, when properly implemented, can coexist with long-term forest conservation
Riberalta:
Concepcion:
Biochar
Carbon Removal
CDR
How does a harvested Sustainable Forest Management Area look like from the ground?
The
Process
Sustainably managed forest areas are strictly monitored. An approved plan defines which areas may be used, which species may be taken, and which trees meet the legal criteria for harvest. Those trees are marked, recorded, and moved only to a vetted sawmill, where origin documents are checked before the log is accepted.
At the sawmill the log is processed. What remains is residue: offcuts, bark, and sawdust. That material has two destinations. It can be incinerated in an open pit at the sawmill, with the air pollution and fire risk that follow. Or it can be collected under a monitoring protocol, weighed, and transformed into biochar.
Exomad Green created the second path. We collect those residues from sawmills at no cost. We do not buy them, so we do not put a price on leftover wood that would encourage more harvest. We remove a waste problem and use material that already exists.
Exomad Biomass Sourcing protections:
Supplier Selection Protocol
What we check yearly
• An active RUEF code. This is the Unique Registry of Forest Enterprises number issued by ABT. It proves the sawmill is registered to transform and handle wood in the current year. No active RUEF, no collection.
• A local business license for the municipality where the sawmill operates.
• A tax ID.
• Membership in the relevant sawmill association.
• Confirmation of no child labor.
The residues collected
Our feedstock: sawdust, offcuts, bark, and similar by-products that remain after the sawmill has made timber or veneer. It is not a commercial timber grade. We do not take roundwood, sawn timber, veneer-grade wood, complete logs, or any piece that is still a product.
The sawmill’s legal wood supply must already exist. We do not pay for, or accept, logs harvested so that we can make biochar. In most cases the residues we now collect were incinerated in open pits beside the sawmill.
Puro.earth, which certifies our carbon removal, treats this as waste biomass from regulated sawmills under ABT
End-to-end traceability: Exomad Forest Monitoring Center
The Forest Monitoring Center has been established by Exomad, to go above and beyond its commitment to sustainability. Its mission is to monitor the SFM areas in designated zones. The main focus of this continuous monitoring is to identify and obtain precise and immediate information about indicators of photosynthetically active biomass, which provides insights into the health of the vegetation. Based on this information, Exomad Green ensures that its raw materials are sourced from sustainable sources.
What we measure
We use NDVI from satellite imagery. NDVI compares how vegetation reflects near-infrared and red light. Higher values mean denser, healthier cover.
Images are compared
We treat values roughly as: 0.7–1 very healthy; 0.5–0.7 healthy; 0–0.5 unhealthy or biomass loss; below 0 dead vegetation.
How the system runs
Imagery comes from Landsat and Sentinel-2. Scripts in Google Earth Engine pull scenes for the right date, estimate cloud cover, and calculate NDVI.
Files are stored on Exomad servers, classified, and processed in ArcGIS Pro. Results go into a control table, weekly internal tracking, and external semi-annual reports with maps and graphs.
Forest-Risk Monitoring and Sourcing Controls
Exomad Green applies a precautionary monitoring protocol across its biomass supply chain. Satellite-derived vegetation indicators and predefined thresholds are used to identify potential changes around sourcing areas.
If an alert is triggered, residue collection from affected suppliers is immediately suspended, Bolivia’s Forest and Land Authority (ABT) and relevant stakeholders are notified, and an on-site verification is conducted. Sourcing resumes only when the alert is determined to be unfounded or vegetation conditions have recovered to acceptable levels. Every investigation and outcome is documented, creating a clear and auditable safeguard against sourcing biomass associated with forest degradation.