~5,000
net CORCs estimated
From top left: The site filled with the 10M pounds of fire-killed trees before the cap installation; continuous monitoring system installed; a view of the 1.1 acre site on the larger landscape where reforestation will begin in spring 2026.
Fire-killed trees stacked into massive wood decks at MT1.
Critical Questions Answered
How durable is this
carbon removal?
Long-term carbon storage designed to minimize biomass decomposition:
Low-permeability soils and anoxic
(low oxygen) conditions.
(low oxygen) conditions.
Listed with Puro.earth, BeZero rated, legal easements, and long-term monitoring.
Research and modeling indicate preservation can last for thousands of years.
Don’t forests grow
back after wildfire?
Intense burns wipes out seeds and trees’ ability to regenerate. Natural regrowth often fails. 43% of studied California burn zones had no new trees five years later. Mast’s mission for the last decade has been to scale reforestation where it wouldn’t happen naturally.
Why biomass burial
at MT1?
A time-lapse from April to June 2025 at MT1.
The fire-killed trees at MT1 became a burden and a hazard, not a resource:
Hinders reforestation and could fuel future fires.
No nearby facilities to make alternative use of the wood (e.g. biochar or bioenergy).
At MT1, the wood was unusable for timber.
Ecological Hotspot
On the fringe of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem; we're restoring habitat for keystone species including elk, sage grouse, sandhill cranes, and native pollinators. elk, mule deer, pronghorn, porcupine, sharp-tailed grouse, wild turkeys, badgers, bobcats, cougars, and bears.
Culturally Signifcant Ground
Settler tombstones and pioneer cabins that burned to their foundations during the wildfire, are stepping stones to the nearby Little Bighorn Battlefield (Custer’s Last Stand).
Community Impact
Mast prioritizes working with local businesses and provides immediate compensation to landowners—creating direct financial benefits and boosting economic resilience in one of Montana’s most economically underserved regions.
Scouting for Cones
We source cones as close to the reforestation area as possible. These ponderosa pine cones were the seed source for the seedling shown to the right, grown at our Silvaseed nursery in Roy, Washington.
Growing Seedlings
This healthy ponderosa pine seedling is among our first batch at Silvaseed, growing from seed collected near the MT1 project site. This seedling, among many more, will be planted during the spring 2026 planting window.
Furthering Landowner Efforts
Reforestation was cost prohibitive for the landowners before this project. We're restoring hundreds of acres of ponderosa pine forests, and native grasses over the excavation area, so they can continue to support sustainable cattle grazing and wildlife as their family has for generations.
