1. Woodland Carbon Code
Chris Waterfield - Forestry Commission

2. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Woodland Carbon Code
The Woodland Carbon Code is
a voluntary code designed to
encourage a consistent
approach to Woodland
Creation Projects involving
carbon statements & claims.

3. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Drivers
• People and companies realising the
potential that tree planting has to
soak up CO2 from the atmosphere
• Increasing number of schemes
encouraging individuals and
businesses to invest in tree
planting to compensate for their
carbon footprint
• Recognition that woodland creation
is a cost-effective means of
mitigating climate change

4. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Investors
want to
know
schemes will
actually
deliver what
they claim
UK woodland
projects can’t
generate
international
carbon
offsets
Some forest
carbon projects
have been of
variable quality
Barriers

5. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
• Encourage a consistent approach to woodland carbon
projects by setting out national standards
• Provide rigorous carbon measurement protocols
• Reassure investors about voluntary woodland carbon
projects & encourage the market
• Offer clarity and transparency to customers
• Construct a framework that may support a mandatory
market for woodland carbon credits in the future
Objectives

6. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Robust
standards
Forest carbon
measurement
protocols and
tools
Independent
Verification
Process
Pilot woodland
carbon
projects
A project
registry
Elements of the Code

7. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Requirements
To meet the requirements of the Code
projects will need to:
• Register with the FC, stating the exact
location and long-term objectives of
their project
• Meet national standards for
sustainable forest management
• Have a long-term management plan
• Use approved methods for estimating
the carbon that will be sequestered
• Demonstrate that the project
delivers additional carbon benefits than
would otherwise have been the case.

8. Woodland Carbon Code
The Standards

9. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
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 carbon sequestration of a woodland
project.

10. Woodland Carbon Code
The Registry

11. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Project Registry

12. Woodland Carbon Code
Counting Carbon

13. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Carbon Lookup Tables
Species Spacing
Yield
Class
Management
Period
(year)
Carbon
Standing
(tCO2e
/ha/yr)
Debris
(tCO2e
/ha/yr)
Soil
(tCO2e
/ha/yr)
Total
(tCO2e
/ha/yr)
Cumulative
in period
(tCO2e
/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

14. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
•Choose one of 5 Protocols
•Divide woodland into ‘similar’
areas/units
•Field measurements to determine
tree stem volume
•Office calculations: tree volume 
CO2 sequestered
Direct carbon measurement

15. Woodland Carbon Code
Applying

16. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Applying
The application process for project proponents
Create a
Project
Design
Plan
(PDD)
Evaluate
Carbon
Value of
Woodland
Register
project on
the Code
website
Gain project
validation
from
certification
body
Manage the
project and
gain
verification
every 5 years,
or as specified

17. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Help with Applying
• Advice from the Forestry
Commission
• The verification body will
also provide advice and
guidance
• Contact with other
project participants who
have current or previous
experience

18. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
April June Aug Oct Dec Feb April June Aug Oct Dec Feb April
2009 2010 2011
Pre
consultation
Public
consultation
Build &
test web
portal
and
public
registry
Promotion
and
awareness
programme
Pilot phase
of Woodland
Carbon Code
(testing and
refining)
Accreditation
of third-party
verifiers
Review and
finalise
Code
Official
launch of
Woodland
Carbon Code
Project Schedule

19. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
What’s Happening Now?
• Piloting - Between now and April the
Woodland Carbon Code is being trialled
• Project Development - Around a dozen
woodland carbon projects across a range of
woodland types and sites will develop their
project and work towards certification
• Launch - Once the pilot phase is complete the
Code will be fully ‘open for business’ in 2011

20. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
The Code works for everyone involved:
Benefits
Customers have reassurance that they have invested
in a responsible scheme
Projects have recognised procedures and standards
to work to and can use their verified status to attract
customers and investors
Woodland managers have clear standards of
carbon management to follow
Carbon finance helps contribute to more woodland
creation and climate change mitigation

21. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
UK Woodfuel Barriers to
progress
• Many woodlands not managed for 50+ years
• Engaging with woodland owners - 80,000 owners 43
Woodland Officers.
• Small skills base in both forestry contractor and boiler
installer sectors
• Small number of boilers in use
• Fuel quality poorly understood, boilers need specific
moisture contents and chip sizes to work
• High capital cost of boilers and fuel processing kit,
uncertain and sometimes confusing grants for both fuel
producers and end users
• Public perception of forest management

22. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Current markets
• Most common application is heat production using
woodchips, logs or pellets
• Typical scale is between 50 - 1000kW (around 3000
installations at present)
• Generally a single boiler in a single building
• Growing interest in and application of ‘district heating’
systems - 1 boiler serving many buildings
• Creation of many small markets each using 10s or 100s
of tonnes suits scattered distribution of privately owned
woodland
• Many estate or farm based business starting with self
supply
• Energy Supply Companies - sell heat not woodchip

23. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Power generation
• 16 biomass fired power stations up and running in
the UK, roughly half use wood, stimulated by
Renewables Obligation
• ~30 planned of which 11 will use wood
• IF all go ahead this will require 30 million tonnes of
biomass. Many planned plants located on the coast,
ready for imports
• In 2005 Co-firing market used 1.5million tonnes of
biomass (and 52million tonnes of coal)
• Concern over what this market will do to non fuel
markets….
• ….but some wood processors have invested or are
looking to invest in power and/or heat generation
equipment

24. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Research and development
• FC funded research has focused on:
• Systems and equipment evaluation, chippers,
harvesting heads, time studies
• Attitudes of woodland owners to woodland
management - how can we unlock the potential?
• Case studies of fuel supply businesses and boilers
• Development of fuel quality standards - very
technical but could ultimately improve consumer
confidence
• Brash baling, site selection decision support

25. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Sustainability criteria
• Driven by EU Renewable Energy Directive but to be developed
on a national basis
• For government and society, no point in using biomass if this
leads to deforestation and environmental damage
• For the industry, demonstrating sustainability gives public
confidence and ensures future resource availability
• Need to balance need to regulate international supply chains
against admin burden on small scale domestic suppliers
• UK Forestry Standard provides a framework for sustainable
forest management.
• Evidence of compliance already available in the form of felling
licences and management plans

26. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
In Summary
• Woodfuel industry is small but market opportunity significant
• Needs of existing markets to be taken into account when
trying to stimulate new markets
• Attractive financial return to woodland owner needed to
mobilise unmanaged woodland
• Which ever energy and material technologies are adopted,
forestry is likely to play a significant role
• Wider general support crucial
• Greater awareness, access and markets today will bring
benefits tomorrow!

27. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Seeking views on draft guidance
on woodland creation
• Published 12th
October
• Views sought
by 7th
December
• UK-wide scope
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/ghg-woodland/index.htm
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/business/reporting/

28. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
Your views
what’s right?
what’s wrong?
what’s missing?
will it work?
?

29. forestry.gov.uk/carboncode
The ‘Approved Project’ Logo
Any questions?
Details at:
E: climatechange@forestry.gov.uk or
chris.waterfield@forestry.gov.uk
W: www.forestry.gov.uk/carboncode