WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
Group Project Progress Report
Version 1.0
01 March 2016
Template for UK based forest carbon projects seeking verification to
the Woodland Carbon Code
Project-Group Name:
[insert name]
Name of Group Manger
[insert nearest town, county, country (E/S/W/NI)]
UK Woodland Carbon Registry
Unique Group ID
[insert unique ID]
Name of submitting organisation:
[insert organisation name]
Completed by:
[insert author’s name]
Completed & Submitted to
verification body on:
[insert dd/mm/yyyy]
Email contact:
[insert email address]
For each constituent project, please give the location, grid reference and size:
WCC
Project
Location - Location - Grid
Gross
Unique
Name
County
Country
Reference Area (ha)
project ID
Total Area of the Project-group:
1
Net Area
(ha)
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
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.
2. Some of the questions or statements in this document need to be answered for each
constituent project as indicated. Additional rows can be added to tables as necessary
if more than 5 projects in a group. Other questions or statements can be answered
for the project-group.
3. Your Project Progress Report and Monitoring Report will be made available in the UK
Woodland Carbon Registry once you are verified.
4. At the end of each section, a table allows you to indicate which Additional Evidence
you will make available to the verification body.
5. The Group Manager should keep a copy of the Progress Report, Monitoring
Documents and all additional information for the duration of the project.
For info: Updates to PDD template: Summary – Completed by FC
Version No
Date
0.4
18 March 2015
1.0
01 March 2016
Amendment
Author
Vicky West
Amends following
pilot feedback. PIU
table 3.
Vicky West
For Projects: Version Control of completed Project Progress Reports:
Version No
Date
Amendment
Author
All statements made in this document are correct to the best of my knowledge. I agree/I
disagree [Delete as applicable]
2
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
Contents
1. Eligibility ........................................................................................................................... 4
1.0 Commitment
View online guidance .............................................. 4
1.1 Project Start Date and Duration
View online guidance .............................................. 5
1.2 Eligible Activities
View online guidance ............................................... 5
1.3 Eligible Land
View Online Guidance ............................................ 5
1.4 Compliance with the law
View online guidance ............................................. 6
1.5 Additionality
View online guidance ............................................... 6
2. Governance ....................................................................................................................... 7
2.1 Registry
View online guidance .............................................. 7
2.2 Project Design
View online guidance ............................................... 7
2.3 Management Plan and Capacity
View online guidance .............................................. 7
2.4 Management of risks and permanence
View online guidance .............................................. 8
2.5 Management of Group Schemes
View online guidance ............................................... 9
2.6 Monitoring
View online guidance ............................................. 9
2.7 Carbon Statements and Reporting
View online guidance ............................................ 12
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 Carbon sequestration
View online guidance ............................................ 14
3.5 Net carbon sequestration
View online guidance ............................................. 14
4. Environmental quality
View online guidance ................ 15
5. Social Responsibility
View online guidance ................. 16
3
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
1. Eligibility
1.0 Commitment
View online guidance
NOTE Earlier projects will not have completed a ‘landowner commitment’ at
validation. This should be provided at year-5 verification where:
 No commitment was provided at validation, or
 The landowner has changed since validation
If a signed commitment already exists, go to Section 1.1
1) Are there contract(s) 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
Note these things could be covered in the Group Agreement. Yes/ No [Delete as
applicable]
2) Do you, as the 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 Group Manager commit to monitor and maintain verification for
the project duration as per WCC guidance? Yes/ No [Delete as applicable]
4
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
3b) if the 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 to confirm the land owner(s)’
commitment:
Choose at least
Project names/ Further details
one
Contract(s) with
landowner(s) contain terms
Yes/ No
set out above
Signed statement(s) from
landowner(s) contain terms
Yes/ No
set out above
Specify what
Project names/ Further details
Other evidence
1.1 Project Start Date and Duration
View online guidance
No information required – See 2.6 Monitoring
1.2 Eligible Activities
View online guidance
No information required
1.3 Eligible Land
View Online Guidance
1) For each project in the group, please state the landowner’s name and contact
details [copy and paste table as necessary]
Landowner Name:
Project(s) owned:
Landowner Address
Landowner Postcode
Landowner Phone Number
Landowner Email
5
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
If the landowner(s) have changed since the last validation/verification, you shall
provide the following additional evidence to confirm the owner(s) and, if the land is
leased, the owner(s)’ consent:
Choose at least one or
To confirm owner:
Project names/ Further details
specify what other evidence
Solicitor’s letter
Yes/ No
Title deeds
Yes/ No
Land registry
records
To confirm owners
consent if leased:
Certified copy of
lease
Yes/ No
Choose if leased or specify
what other evidence
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) As far as you are aware, are there any current, past (within the last 5 years) or
pending prosecutions relating to any of the constituent projects. Yes/No [delete as
applicable]
3) As far as you are aware, are there 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. Yes/No [delete
as applicable]
1.5 Additionality
View online guidance
No information required
6
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
2. Governance
2.1 Registry
View online guidance
1a) Is the project-group or any constituent project validated or approved by another
carbon standard or has it applied to be? Yes/No [delete as applicable]
1b) If yes, please state which:
WCC Unique
Other carbon standard applied
project ID or
to/validated by
project name
2.2 Project Design
Relevant unique ID from
other carbon standards
View online guidance
1) The project-group’s key aims and long term objectives remain as set out in the
PDD Yes/No [Delete as applicable]
1a) If No, Please confirm the project’s key aims and long term objectives and the
changes since the PDD:
WCC Unique project ID or
Aims and objectives of project-group or constituent
project name
project(s) and changes since PDD
2.3 Management Plan and Capacity
View online guidance
1) Do all the constituent projects continue to be managed in accordance with the UK
Forestry Standard? Yes/No [Delete as applicable]
2) The longer-term management intentions of each constituent project (incl. the
woodland management regime to be applied – e.g. no intervention, thinning only,
regular clearfell, CCF (and type)) remain as set out in the PDD Yes/No [Delete as
applicable]
7
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
2a) If no, please clarify the current longer-term management intentions and the
change from the last validation/verification:
(i) Where are
WCC Unique
management intentions
(ii) Longer-term management intentions
project ID or
over establishment
for the project duration and beyond
project name
period set out?
3) Please state the name and contact details of any other parties involved in each
constituent project (eg land managers). [Copy and paste table if more than one party].
Role:
Project(s):
Name:
Address
Postcode
Phone Number
Email
2.4 Management of risks and permanence
View online guidance
1) If there are any new or increased risks to the project, please state them here, and
also the mitigation action you are taking to reduce the risk.
WCC Unique
project ID or
Project Name
Risk Category – New or
increased risks
8
Mitigation Action (if any)
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
2.5 Management of Group Schemes
View online guidance
Do you have a signed Group Agreement which is current and meets the requirements
as specified in the WCC guidance? Yes/No [delete as applicable]
You shall provide all the following additional evidence:
Check all Further details
boxes
Current Group Agreement which meets the
requirements as set out in WCC group
Yes/ No
scheme guidance
2.6 Monitoring
View online guidance
1 Dates: Please enter below key dates for your project-group:
Activity
Group Implementation date (Start of tree
planting)
Date
[dd-mmm-yyyy]
Group Start date (End of tree planting)
[dd-mmm-yyyy]
Date of validation
[dd-mmm-yyyy]
Date verification due
[dd-mmm-yyyy]
Date(s) of survey(s):
Project Name(s) and [dd-mmm-yyyy]
2 Survey Team: Please enter below key information about the survey team, their
experience and relationship to the project. If different surveyors have been used for
constituent projects, please give details of all surveyors and the projects they worked on.
[Cut and paste table as required]
Surveyor Details
Name of surveyor
Projects surveyed:
Contact details of surveyor (phone/email)
Phone:
Email:
Relevant survey experience





Relationship to project
9
Landowner
Project developerGroup Manager
Land Manager
Independent - ICF member
Independent – other
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
3. Strata and number of plots
1. For each constituent project, please describe the survey area, whether and how it has been divided into strata and how many plots
were assessed in each strata [cut and paste the table for each project in the group]:
Project Name:
Stratum 1
Stratum 2
Stratum 3
Stratum 4
Stratum 5
Open
Ground (if
mapped)
Total area
Gross area of each stratum
(ha - incl OG if not mapped).
Net planted area of each
stratum (ha)
Anticipated
Species (List species with %
of each)
Anticipated spacing (m)
Anticipated stocking density
(trees/ha)
Plot radius (m) if circular or
length (m) if square.
Number of plots
Please include as an appendix or separate document, a map of each constituent project indicating the location of the various strata.
10
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
4. Survey Results
4a) Please submit with this report:
1. A ‘Plot survey sheet’ for each plot undertaken for each project
2. A ‘Stratum Summary Sheet’ for each stratum in each project
3. 2 or 3 site level photos for each project (preferably geo-tagged)
4. Photos of each plot within each project (preferably geo-tagged)
1 and 2 can be found in the ‘WCC Year 5 Monitoring – Data Collection and Calculation
Sheet V1.0’ workbook.
4b) Please give here any further clarification of, or comment on, your survey results:
5. Quality Assurance
If an independent party quality assured a proportion of the fieldwork sample plots of any
constituent project prior to verification, please indicate who undertook this work and the
proportion of the plots that were quality assured.
Quality Assurance – Fieldwork
Name of quality assurer
Phone
Contact details
Email
Project(s) checked
% of plots checked
Any issues found
If an independent party quality assured the ‘office’ calculations of any constituent project
prior to verification, please state who undertook this work and their contact details.
Quality Assurance – Calculations
Name of quality assurer
Phone
Contact details
Email
Project(s) checked
% of plots checked
Any issues found
11
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
You shall provide the following additional evidence to summarise the monitoring
work undertaken:
All projects
Data collection and calculation
sheets
Yes/ No
Site-level photos and locations
Yes/ No
Plot-based photographs and
locations
Yes/No
Updated map of site with any
boundary changes marked.
Where required
Map of site demonstrating the
strata used for survey
Yes/No
Report or evidence from
independent quality assurance
Where relevant
Project Names/ Further details
7a) Is the project-group or any constituent project certified or applying for
certification to the UK Woodland Assurance Standard? Yes/No [delete as applicable]
7b) If yes, please state for group or constituent projects whether certification is via
FSC or PEFC and give the relevant certificate number.
WCC Unique
project ID or
FSC or PEFC?
FSC or PEFC certificate number
project name
You shall provide the following additional evidence to demonstrate certification to the
UK Woodland Assurance Standard:
All FSC/PEFC
Project names/ Further details
certified projects
FSC or PEFC certificate for the
group or each constituent
Yes/ No
project
Note: You will be required to upload your FSC/PEFC certificate to the registry upon
WCC validation if you wish to demonstrate dual certification
2.7 Carbon Statements and Reporting
View online guidance
1a) Do you ensure that all carbon buyers (existing and future) are aware of the WCC
claims guidance? Yes/No [Delete as applicable]
12
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
1b) Statements or claims made by the landowner, project developer or corporate
buyer comply with Woodland Carbon Code guidance. Yes/No [Delete as applicable]
2.8 Woodland Carbon Code Trademark
View online guidance
1a) Does the group manager agree to ensure that the group and its constituent
projects abide by the Logo Rules of Use as set out currently and as may be updated
from time to time by the Forestry Commission? Yes/No [Delete as applicable]
1b) Will you ensure that others with an interest in your project-group (e.g landowner,
project developer or corporate buyers) who may also use this logo are fully aware of
the Rules of Use? Yes/No [Delete as applicable]
3. Carbon Sequestration
3.1 Units
Note: All projections and measurements of carbon sequestration must be expressed in
tCO2e. Positive values represent sequestration, negative values represent emissions.
3.2 Carbon baseline
View online guidance
No information required
3.3 Carbon Leakage
View online guidance
1) My assessment of leakage for each constituent project remains as stated in the
PDD Yes/No [Delete as applicable]
1a) If no, please state how any assessment of leakage has changed, and calculate the
level of leakage (in tCO2e) for the duration of the project.
You shall provide the following additional evidence to confirm leakage assumptions
or calculations:
If leakage
Project names/ Further details
significant choose
both
Map of site and surrounding
area with leakage risks
Yes/ No
highlighted
More detailed leakage
Yes/ No
calculations
Specify what
Other evidence
13
Project names/ Further details
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
3.4 Project Carbon sequestration
View online guidance
Carbon in Biomass, Soil and Emissions from Woodland Management
The following changes may make it necessary to re-evaluate project carbon
sequestration: Changes in actual species composition or areas of open space,
stocking density not achieved, extensive beat-up, change to long-term management
intentions. The Certification Body will inform you whether it is necessary to reevaluate your predicted carbon sequestration.
1) The predicted carbon sequestration at each constituent project in the group
remains as set out in the PDD. Yes/No [Delete as applicable]
1a) If no, please clarify:
If recalculating, you shall provide the following additional evidence to confirm carbon
sequestration assumptions and calculations:
All projects
Project names/ Further details
Updated Carbon Calculation
Spreadsheet
Yes/ No
Specify what
Project names/ Further details
Other evidence
NOTE: You will be required to upload your updated Carbon Calculations to the
registry upon verification.
3.5 Net carbon sequestration
View online guidance
For each constituent project, please indicate the predicted and actual number of carbon
units to be delivered within the vintage under assessment. At the first (year 5) assessment,
provided the actual stocking density is within 10% of the predicted density and there are no
concerns about tree growth or health, we will assume that all predicted units are delivered.
[Please cut and paste Table 3 for each constituent project within the group].
14
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
Table 3: Planned and actual units delivered within the Vintage under assessment
Vintage Start Date:
[ddmmyyyy]
Vintage End Date:
[ddmmyyyy]
Total PIUs in
vintage to be listed
PIUs to Buffer
PIUs to Project
Predicted Units in
Vintage being
assessed
Actual Units in
Vintage being
assessed
PIUs to be cancelled
Extra WCUs to be
issued
4. Environmental quality
View online guidance
1) If you have monitored environmental quality, please state the added benefits of any
constituent project or the project-group so far.
WCC Unique project ID or
project name
Added Benefits
You shall provide the following additional evidence to confirm details of the
environmental impact or benefit of the project:
Specify what
Evidence confirming the
environmental benefits of the
project so far
15
Project names/ Further details
WCC Group Project Progress Report V1.0
01 March 2016
5. Social Responsibility
View online guidance
1a) If you have consulted any stakeholders since the last validation/verification,
please describe for which constituent project, the consultation process and its
outcome.
1b) If you have had any complaints or concerns about any constituent project raised
since the last validation/verification, please describe how you have dealt with these.
2) If you have monitored social benefits, please state the added benefits of any
constituent project or the project-group so far.
WCC Unique project ID or
project name
Added Benefits
You shall provide the following additional evidence to confirm details of ongoing
consultation or to confirm the social benefits of the project so far:
Specify what
Evidence confirming ongoing
consultation or how complaints
are dealt with
Evidence confirming the social
benefits of the project so far.
Yes/ No
Yes/ No
16
Project names/ Further details