Woodland Carbon Code facts for kids

The Woodland Carbon Code is like a special rulebook in the United Kingdom for planting new forests. Its main goal is to help fight climate change by making sure these new woodlands store as much carbon as possible. It also checks that these tree-planting projects are done in a good, responsible way.

This Code was started in 2011. It helps groups and businesses who want to plant trees to reduce their carbon footprint. When a project follows the Code, it means:

• The woodland is managed well and sustainably.
• There are good estimates for how much carbon the trees will lock away.
• The project is publicly listed and checked by independent experts.
• It meets clear rules to make sure real carbon benefits happen.

Every project that follows the Woodland Carbon Code is listed on a special UK Register. This register is managed by a company called Markit. It helps track all the projects and the "carbon units" they create. These units are like a measure of how much carbon is stored. Experts from the UK Accreditation Service check each project at the start. They also check them regularly to make sure everything is still going well.

Woodland Carbon Code projects create special "Woodland Carbon Units." Once these units are checked and approved, UK businesses can use them. They help businesses show they are working to balance out their carbon emissions.

What the Code Requires

To be part of the Woodland Carbon Code, a project needs to:

• Register with the Forestry Commission. This includes saying where the trees will be and what the long-term goals are.
• Follow national rules for forestry. This makes sure the woodlands are managed in a sustainable and responsible way.
• Have a long-term plan. This plan shows how the forest will be cared for over many years.
• Use standard ways to estimate how much carbon the trees will store.
• Show that the project will store more carbon than if the trees weren't planted.

How the Code Started

Early Ideas: The Carbon Advisory Group

Back in 2008, the Forestry Commission created a group called the Carbon Advisory Group. This group was made up of experts in forests and carbon markets from the UK. Their job was to give advice on how to manage woodland carbon. They also helped create the first guidelines and standards for the industry. These ideas eventually grew into the Woodland Carbon Code we have today.

Testing the Code: Pilot Phase (2010-2011)

From August 2010 to July 2011, the Woodland Carbon Code was tested out. This "pilot phase" happened at different places across the UK. Several tree-planting projects, with various types of woodlands, were set up and checked using the early rules of the Code. After getting feedback from these tests, the final changes were made before the Code was officially launched.

Official Launch

In July 2011, a big step happened. The UK government approved that the carbon stored by Woodland Carbon Code projects could be officially reported. This meant that for the first time, UK investors and businesses could clearly show how their tree-planting projects helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their reports.

Helping Small Woodlands: Group Scheme Pilot (2012-2013)

In 2012 and early 2013, a new idea was tested: "group validation." This was a different way for small woodland owners to get certified under the Code. Before, it might have been too expensive for them to get certified alone. But with group validation, many small woodlands could join together under one certification. This helped them share the costs. The group validation scheme officially started in May 2013.

Tracking Carbon Units

The Woodland Carbon Code officially started using the Markit Environmental Registry in summer 2013. This is where all the projects and their carbon units are recorded.

The carbon units from certified Woodland Carbon Code projects are special. They are used to help the UK meet its own goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Businesses in the UK can report these units as part of their efforts to reduce their overall carbon footprint, following government rules.