WCC SMALL Group Project Design Document Version 0.3 10.09.2015
SMALL Group Project Design Document (PDD)
Version 0.3 10 September 2015
Template for UK based SMALL forest carbon projects seeking validation as a group under the Woodland Carbon Code
Small Project-Group Name: / [insert name]Name of Small-Group Manager: / [insert group manager’s name]
UK Woodland Carbon Registry
Unique Small-Group ID / [insert unique ID]
Name of submitting organisation / [insert organisation name]
Completed by: / [insert author’s name if different from group manager]
Completed & submitted to validation body on: / [insert dd/mm/yyyy]
Email contact: / [insert email address]
See also ‘Other Small Projects Data’ (tab 4) in the Small Woods Spreadsheet
NOTE: 1. When completing each section of this document please refer to the requirements set out in the relevant section of the Woodland Carbon Code and online guidance. Boxes for text can be expanded if not large enough.
3. The Project Design Document, map(s) of the site(s) and carbon calculations will be made available in the UK Woodland Carbon Registry once you are validated.
4. At the end of each section, a table allows you to indicate which Additional Evidence you will make available to the certification body.
5. The Group Manager should keep a copy of the PDD and all additional evidence for the duration of the project.
For info: Updates to Small-Group PDD template: Summary – Completed by FC
Version No / Date / Amendment / Author0.1 / 07 July 2015 / Draft Pilot Version / Vicky West
0.2 / 26 Aug 2015 / Draft Pilot Version – post Exec Board / Vicky West
0.3 / 10 Sep 2015 / Draft Pilot Version – post Advisory board / Vicky West
For Projects: Version Control of completed Group PDD’s:
Version No / Date / Amendment / Author
Contents
Project Descriptions – To appear in UK Woodland Carbon Registry. 3
1. Eligibility 4
1.0 Commitment View online guidance 4
1.1 Project-group Start Date and Duration View online guidance 5
1.2 Eligible Activities View online guidance 6
1.3 Eligible Land View online guidance 7
1.4 Compliance with the law View online guidance 7
1.5 Additionality View online guidance 8
2. Governance 9
2.1 Registry View online guidance 9
2.2 Project-Group Design View online guidance 9
2.3 Management Plan and Capacity View online guidance 10
2.4 Management of risks and permanence View online guidance 11
2.5 Management of Group Schemes View online guidance 11
2.6 Monitoring View online guidance 12
2.7 Carbon Statements and Reporting View online guidance 13
2.8 Woodland Carbon Code Trademark View online guidance 13
3. Carbon Sequestration 13
3.1 Units 13
3.2 Carbon baseline View online guidance 13
3.3 Carbon Leakage View online guidance 13
3.4 Project-group carbon sequestration View online guidance 14
3.5 Net carbon sequestration View online guidance 15
4. Environmental quality View online guidance 16
5. Social Responsibility View online guidance 17
Small group Project Descriptions – To appear in UK Woodland Carbon Registry.
Please provide a succinct summary of your small-project group: Aims & objectives, type of woodlands & management, social and environmental benefits.
All statements made in this document are correct to the best of my knowledge. I agree/I disagree [Delete as applicable]
1. Eligibility
1.0 Commitment View online guidance
1) Are there contract(s)/a group agreement with or statement(s) from the landowner(s) which demonstrate(s) their commitment to:
· Conform to the WCC standard
· Permanent land-use change
· Manage land as per current Management Plan for the establishment period and as per longer-term management intentions for the project duration and beyond
· Comply with the law
· Restock where projects involve harvesting
· Replant or undertake compensatory planting if an area is lost due to wind, fire, pests, disease or development
· Inform future landowners of the commitment to the Woodland Carbon Code and any carbon contracts
· Make true and accurate carbon statements about the project
· Abide by the WCC logo rules of use
Yes/ No [Delete as applicable]
2) Do you, as the small-group manager commit to:
· Conform to this standard
· Comply with the law
· Ensure the project/group, any PIU listings, sales to carbon buyers, retirement for use of verified Woodland Carbon Units is accurately represented in the UK Woodland Carbon Registry
· Make true and accurate carbon statements about the project
· Make carbon buyers aware of the WCC guidance on carbon claims and include in contracts with buyers
· Abide by the WCC logo rules of use and make carbon buyers and landowners aware of the WCC logo rules of use
Yes/ No [Delete as applicable]
3a) Do you, as the small-Group Manager commit to monitor and maintain verification for the project duration as per WCC guidance? Yes/ No [Delete as applicable]
3b) if the small-Group Manager does not commit, is there a contract with the landowner(s) to monitor and maintain verification for the project duration as per WCC guidance? Yes/ No [Delete as applicable]
You shall provide the following additional evidence of a sample of projects to confirm the commitment of the landowner:
Check at least one box / Project Names / Further detailsContract with landowner contains terms set out above / Yes/ No
Signed statement from landowner contains terms set out above / Yes/ No
Specify what / Project Names / Further details
Other evidence
1.1 Project-group Start Date and Duration View online guidance
For each project, please specify the start and end dates of planting and the project duration in the Small Projects Spreadsheet.
1) Please indicate the small-project group start date and duration.
Group Start Date / dd-mmm-yyyyProject Duration / Years
You shall provide the following additional evidence for a sample of projects to confirm start date:
What / Check one or specify other evidence / WCC Unique Project ID or project names / Further detailsGrant scheme contract / Yes/ No
Carbon contract / Yes/ No
Specify what evidence / Project Names / Further details
Other evidence
1.2 Eligible Activities View online guidance
1) To the best of my knowledge the land to be planted in all constituent projects has not been wooded in the last 25 years. I agree/ I disagree [Delete as applicable]
You shall provide the following additional evidence for a sample of projects to show the land has not been wooded for 25 years:
What / Check at least one for each constituent project / Project Names / Further detailsLand use records / Yes/ No
OS Maps / Yes/ No
Historical Maps / Yes/ No
Images (satellite/aerial photography) / Yes/ No
FC planting and felling database / Yes/ No
Signed attestation from independent expert / Yes/ No
2) The soil at the constituent project sites is not organic (More than 50cm organic (peat) layer) I agree/I disagree [Delete as applicable]
You shall provide the following additional evidence for a sample of projects to show the soil is not organic:
What / Check one or specify other evidence / Project Name / Further detailsField survey (please state what survey work has been undertaken and by whom) / Yes/ No
Soil Maps / Yes/ No
Independent statement on soil type / Yes/ No
Specify what evidence / Project Name
Other evidence
1.3 Eligible Land View online guidance
For each project, please specify the landowner contact details, freehold/leasehold status and owners consent (if leased) in the Small Projects Spreadsheet. Please also give the Land Registry Number and IACS ID.
You shall provide the following additional evidence for a sample of projects to confirm the owner and, if the land is leased, the owner’s consent:
To confirm owner: / Check at least one or specify what other evidence / Project Names / Further DetailsSolicitor’s letter / Yes/ No
Title deeds / Yes/ No
Land registry records / Yes/ No
Grant contract signed by owner / Yes/ No
To confirm owners consent if leased: / Check box if leased or specify what other evidence / Project Names / Further details
Certified copy of lease / Yes/ No
Specify what evidence / Project Names / Further details
Other evidence
1.4 Compliance with the law View online guidance
1) As far as you are aware, do all the projects in the group comply with all existing forestry legislation in the UK at the time of completing this document? Yes/No [delete as applicable]
2) I do not know of any current, past (within the last 5 years) or pending prosecutions relating to any of the constituent projects. I agree / disagree [delete as applicable]
3) I do not know of any injunctions or notices relating to any of the constituent projects issued by the Environment Agency/SEPA/Natural Resources Wales or issued under the Town and Country Planning Regulations. I agree / disagree [delete as applicable]
4) What systems or procedures are in place for the group manager and the constituent project managers to be aware of and ensure compliance with existing and new legislation?
1.5 Additionality View online guidance
Describe how any carbon sequestered by the group or each constituent project is/or will be additional to what would have occurred in the absence of the project and the support of carbon finance. Note: Tests 2-4 Can be carried out at small project-group level provided similar funding models/arrangements (Test 2 & 3) or similar barriers (Test 4) apply to all constituent projects. Where one or more constituent projects are significantly different in these aspects, additionality shall be assessed for each constituent project.
Test 1: Legal
1a) Is there a legal requirement specifying that any of the constituent project woodlands should be created? Yes/No [delete as applicable]
1b) Does the woodland creation of any the constituent projects compensate for woodland lost elsewhere? Yes/No [delete as applicable]
Test 2: Reliance on grant aid
2) What proportion of the actual planting and establishment costs up to and including year 10 are covered by carbon finance? (enter in table below)
Test 3: Carbon Investment
3) Please describe the influence of Carbon Finance on the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) or Net Present Value (NPV) of the project-group for the duration of the project.
Project-group, Project Name / TEST 2: % of Planting and establishment costs covered by carbon finance / TEST 3: Influence of carbon finance on the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) or Net Present Value (NPV)Test 4: Barrier (complete if Test 3: Carbon Investment is marginal or not passed):
4) Please describe how barriers have been overcome which would distinguish the constituent projects or the project group from a business as usual project or project-group.
You shall provide the following additional evidence for a sample of projects to support Tests 2, 3 and 4:
Check both boxes / Project Names / Further detailsTest 2: Analysis of income streams (carbon finance, grant aid and other) against actual planting and establishment costs. / Yes/ No
Test 3: A detailed breakdown of expected costs and revenues for the duration of a sample of projects / Yes/ No
Specify what evidence, if used / Project Names / Further details
Test 4: Further evidence to support barrier test
2. Governance
2.1 Registry View online guidance
1) Is the small project-group or any constituent project validated or approved by another carbon standard or has it applied to be? Yes/No [delete as applicable]
2.2 Project-Group Design View online guidance
For each project, please specify any woodland creation grant name and ID in the Small Projects Spreadsheet.
1) Describe the key aims and long term objectives of the small project-group.
2) Describe what kind of woodland will be created within the small project-group. Please provide further detail on the planting mixture and spacing in the Small Projects Spreadsheet
3) Please describe any physical, climatic, ecological, archaeological, social and landscape features of the small project-group.
You shall provide the following additional evidence for each constituent project to clarify the project location and planting plans:
Check boxes as follows: / Project Names / Further detailsWoodland creation grant application / If grant applied for: Yes/ No
Boundary map (digital image or shapefile) / All projects: Yes/ No
Planting map
(digital image or shapefile) / All projects: Yes/ No
Map showing any designated areas (digital image or shapefile) / If any designated areas: Yes/ No
NOTE: You will be required to upload Maps of woodland boundary and planting areas to the registry upon validation
2.3 Management Plan and Capacity View online guidance
For each project, please specify in the Small Projects Spreadsheet where the management plan and longer-term management intentions are set out.
1) Are all the constituent projects designed and managed in accordance with the UK Forestry Standard? Yes/No [Delete as applicable]
2) Does each constituent project have a management plan for the establishment phase of the woodland? Yes/No [delete as applicable]
3) Please outline the longer-term management intentions of small-project group
You shall provide the following additional evidence to confirm management plans for a sample of projects during the establishment phase:
To confirm management during establishment phase / Check at least one box / Project Names / Further detailsManagement plan / Yes/ No
Woodland creation grant application / Yes/ No
Financial analysis of costs and revenues / Yes/ No
Specify what / Project Names / Further details
Other evidence
2.4 Management of risks and permanence View online guidance
Please complete the small project group risk assessment as set out in the Small Projects Spreadsheet.
2.5 Management of Group Schemes View online guidance
1) Do you have a signed small-project Group Agreement which meets the requirements as specified in the WCC guidance? Yes/No [delete as applicable]
2) Please confirm the project-group structure.
3) What process does the small-project Group Manager have in place for document control and record-keeping and to ensure internal audit of the constituent projects as set out in the WCC guidance?
You shall provide all the following additional evidence to confirm the structure and processes of the project-group: