Want to create a carbon woodland?

Trees are good: well-managed woodlands provide many benefits including sequestering carbon. As a result, individuals and businesses are keen to support tree planting, which adds up to an opportunity for farmers and land managers. But how can you assure potential customers and investors that your project will actually deliver what you claim?

  The Forestry Commission ’s Woodland Carbon Code does just that – encouraging a consistent approach to provide clarity and assurance to customers and investors about the carbon savings of projects.  And of course, it offers farmers and land managers a marketing edge.  

The Code sets out requirements for voluntary carbon sequestration projects in the UK and uses consistent and documented forest carbon prediction and measurement tools, developed by Forest Research .  All projects are certified by an independent body who are in turn accredited by the UK Accreditation Service .    Certified projects can display the Woodland Carbon Code logo.

The Code was launched in July 2011 and to date there are 13 projects in the Register of UK woodland carbon projects, covering a total of 610 hectares.  Together they are predicted to sequester 315,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over their lifetime (up to 100 years).  The first projects will be certified very soon.  There are as many projects again due to appear in the coming few weeks, and we have plenty of case studies of existing projects.

Farmers and landowners can access the UK Carbon Reporting Framework launched in July or one of the listed carbon companies for help in finding a project sponsor.  Investors now have a route to formally report the benefit of their investment via Defra’s new guidance on how organisations should report greenhouse gas removals and emissions from UK woodland planting .

Anyone interested in creating a carbon woodland with the support of private finance should contact us now.  In particular:

·         Existing woodland carbon projects have to register before 31 July 2013; and

·         We’d like to hear from anyone thinking of creating a small woodland (say < 20 hectares) who might benefit from getting certified with a group of other small projects.

Vicky West advises on the Woodland Carbon Code at the Forestry Commission. Contact her or visit www.forestry.gov.uk/carboncode for further information.