Woodland Carbon Code Introduction Woodland Creation and Climate Change

Drivers • planting can compensate for unavoidable emissions; •Woodland creation is cost- effective climate change mitigation

•Helps UK to meet international net emissions targets;

•The government aims to encourage increased rates of woodland creation.

.gov.uk/carboncode Woodland Creation and Climate Change Barriers Investors want to UK woodland know projects schemes can’t will generate actually international deliver carbon what they offsets  Some forestry claim less carbon projects incentive to have been of invest variable quality

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode Woodland Carbon Code

•Public Consultation •Pilot Phase •Launch Spring 2011

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode Objectives

Offer clarity Encourage a and consistent transparency to Provide rigorous approach to customers carbon woodland carbon measurement projects protocols

Construct a Reassure the framework that market and may support a investors about mandatory market for woodland voluntary carbon credits in woodland carbon the future projects

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode Methods

Create robust standards

Create a project carbon registry measurement protocols and WCC tools processes

Establish pilot Approved woodland carbon verification projects bodies to provide assurance

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode Benefits

• Independent validation, verification and auditing will help to provide confidence in UK forest carbon projects;

• The Co2de will demonstrate a range of economic and social as well as environmental benefits;

• The Co2de will bring the standard of practice of every participant up to a specified level;

• The Co2de will help the domestic forestry sector to exploit future opportunities as carbon markets and other financial mechanisms develop; and

• A robust Co2de incorporating core Kyoto principles will assure the quality of the forestry sector's voluntary activity.

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode Woodland Carbon Code The Standards Carbon Standards

Additionality The carbon reductions would not have occurred without the input of carbon finance;

Leakage Avoided displacement of previous land-use to another area;

Permanence Long-term management plan for the woodland, assessing and minimising the risk of impermanence;

Carbon measurement Options to accurately estimate the of a woodland project. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode Woodland Carbon Code Counting Carbon Counting Carbon

Estimating future carbon:

1. (Now) Carbon lookup tables Pre-calculated future carbon sequestration estimates for a range of woodland types with a range of site conditions. 2. (In future) Forest carbon modelling Models that will allow the input of site-specific parameters to give more precise predictions of future carbon sequestration.

Measuring what Carbon is there now: Direct measurement of a sample of on the woodland site which can be converted into a more precise estimate of the carbon currently stored.

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode Carbon Lookup Tables

Carbon Cumulative Debris Soil Total Yield Period Standing in period Species Spacing Management (tCO2e (tCO2e (tCO2e Class (year) (tCO2e (tCO2e /ha/yr) /ha/yr) /ha/yr) /ha/yr) /ha/yr) OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 0-5 3.1 0.8 0.0 3.9 19.3 OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 5-10 9.5 0.9 0.0 10.4 52.0 OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 10-15 15.9 0.9 0.0 16.8 84.1 OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 15-20 15.9 0.9 0.0 16.8 84.1 OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 20-25 15.1 0.8 0.0 15.9 79.6 OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 25-30 11.5 -0.5 0.0 11.0 55.2 OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 30-35 8.8 -0.6 0.0 8.2 40.8 OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 35-40 8.3 -0.6 0.0 7.7 38.5 OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 40-45 7.9 -0.4 0.0 7.6 37.8 OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 45-50 8.4 -0.1 0.0 8.3 41.3 OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 50-55 8.1 0.0 0.0 8.0 40.2 OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 55-60 7.9 0.1 0.0 7.9 39.7 OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 60-65 7.5 0.1 0.0 7.6 38.2 OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 65-70 7.2 0.1 0.0 7.3 36.5 OK 1.2 6 NO_thin 70-75 6.8 0.1 0.0 6.9 34.7

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode Direct carbon measurement

•Choose one of 5 methods

•Divide woodland into ‘similar’ areas/units

•Field measurements to determine tree stem volume

•Office calculations: tree volume 

CO2 sequestered

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode Woodland Carbon Code The Registry Project Registry

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode Woodland Carbon Code Applying Applying

The application process for project proponents

Create a Gain project Manage the Evaluate Register project and Project Carbon project on validation Design from gain Value of the Code verification Plan Woodland website certification (PDD) body every 5 years, or as specified

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode Help with Applying

• Advice from the Forestry Commission • The chosen verification body will provide advice and guidance on how to ensure the project design and management meets the required standards • Contact with other project participants who have current or previous experience

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode Benefits

The Code works for everyone involved:

Customers are reassured.

Project developers have recognised procedures and standards.

Carbon markets are more assured.

Woodland managers have guidance & standards for forest carbon management.

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode Project Schedule

Build & test web Pilot phase portal of Woodland and Review and Carbon Code public finalise Pre Public (testing and registry Code consultation consultation refining)

April June Aug Oct Dec Feb April June Aug Oct Dec Feb April 2009 2010 2011

Promotion Official and Accreditation launch of awareness of third-party Woodland programme verifiers Carbon Code

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode The ‘Approved Project’ Logo

Any questions?

forestry.gov.uk/carboncode