In the world of carbon projects, evidence collection plays a pivotal role. From the moment a landholder considers a carbon forestry project to the final stages of monitoring and reporting, gathering accurate and verifiable data is crucial. But why is evidence so important, and how can carbon forest managers ensure they're collecting the right type?
In this blog, we’ll walk you through the key stages of a carbon forestry project where evidence is essential, the types of evidence collected, and best practices to ensure you're gathering high-quality data.
Why Evidence Matters in Carbon Projects
Carbon markets rely on trust, but that trust must be backed by verifiable data. Everyone involved, from regulators to investors, need to have confidence in the claims made about carbon sequestration and forest regeneration. The need for durable data is not only about environmental impact, but also involves financial transactions. Evidence provides this assurance by verifying the authenticity and impact of the project. Without it, you risk failing to meet the requirements needed to generate carbon credits and accessing carbon incentives.
You might start with land that you think could be suitable for a project, but by the end, you'll need robust proof that your efforts have successfully sequestered carbon over time. This is where evidence comes into play, verifying the authenticity and impact of the project at every stage.
Key Stages Where Evidence is Crucial
Here are some critical stages where gathering evidence during your carbon forestry project is a must:
1. Pre-Project Planning
Before starting your carbon project, you need to assess the land and understand its potential for carbon sequestration. What type of forest exists, if any? What kind of vegetation can grow on the land? These questions are answered by gathering data such as aerial or satellite imagery and soil assessments, which help you plan.
2. During the Project
As your project moves from planning to implementation, especially during the regeneration or planting stage, collecting evidence becomes even more critical. You’ll need to capture details about the species planted, the health of the vegetation, and how the forest is evolving over time. This is the moment to start gathering high-quality visual data (e.g. photos, drone footage, and satellite imagery) that clearly show what’s happening on the ground.
3. Ongoing Monitoring and Post-Project Compliance
The work doesn't stop after registration. Ongoing evidence collection is needed to monitor the performance of your project and ensure that it continues to meet both environmental and commercial standards. This is where long-term data, such as growth rates, forest health, and overall carbon sequestration, comes into play. You'll need this evidence to maintain your standing in carbon markets and ensure that your forest is still meeting requirements.
Types of Evidence Collected
Different stages of a project require different types of evidence. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common types of data you could use as evidence for your carbon forests:
Satellite imagery (e.g., Sentinel-2)
-> Provides broad view of large areas
-> Updates every two weeks
-> Limited resolution (can't see individual trees)
Aerial imagery (e.g., from LINZ)
-> Higher resolution (can identify individual trees and species)
-> Updated every 4-8 years
-> Better for long-term documentation than real-time monitoring
Drone Imagery
-> Captures detailed, high-resolution images of specific areas
-> Can be tagged with GPS coordinates, adding an extra layer of verification to ensure they are connected to the right location.
-> Shows large areas of forest quickly
Ground Photos
-> Show individual trees or newly planted seedlings
-> Can be tagged with GPS coordinates, adding an extra layer of verification to ensure they are connected to the right location.
-> Good for showing specific areas of planting down to tree level
LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)
-> Measuring tree height
-> Supports to determine whether an area qualifies as a forest under the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)
-> Supports in confirming that trees will reach the necessary 5-metre height to qualify for carbon credits under the ETS
Challenges and Risks Without Proper Evidence
Without strong evidence, you open your project up to a range of risks.
A significant risk is missing out on the opportunity to receive carbon credits. If your evidence isn’t clear, well-documented, or doesn’t meet regulatory standards, you might find that your project is ineligible for the credits you expected. This can lead to financial losses and missed opportunities for growth.
An example of poor evidence collection might involve a farmer who plants trees but fails to geotag their photos or capture wide-angle views. Without these details, the regulator may not be able to verify the extent of the planting, which could result in the project being rejected for carbon credits.
Without proper checks, bad actors could register forests that don’t exist or misrepresent the size or health of their land. These actions damage the credibility of carbon markets and undermine the efforts of those genuinely working to remove carbon from the atmosphere.
Best Practices for Collecting High-Quality Evidence
Here are some tried-and-true methods for ensuring that you collect high-quality, reliable evidence for your carbon project:
1. Plan Ahead
Before you start taking photos or collecting data:
-> Make sure you have a plan in place.
-> Identify key locations where evidence is needed e.g. areas where planting has occurred or regions where regeneration is expected.
-> Consider the topography of the land e.g. photos taken from higher elevations, like hilltops, can give a better overview of an area and help capture wider shots.
2. Use GPS-Enabled Devices
One of the most critical steps in collecting evidence is making sure your photos are tagged with GPS coordinates. This ensures that each image can be verified and tied to a specific location. Tools like CarbonCrop’s FieldScan app can help streamline this process by ensuring that all photos are geotagged and automatically uploaded to a central system for easy tracking and reference.
3. Capture a Variety of Images
When documenting your project, make sure to capture both close-up and wide-angle photos. Close-up images are useful for identifying specific species or showing detailed planting work, while wide-angle shots provide context and demonstrate the overall scope of your project. This combination of detail and context helps build a more comprehensive picture of your work.
The Future of Evidence Collection
The future of evidence collection is exciting, with new technologies on the horizon that will make the process even more efficient and accurate. One promising development is the use of 3D modelling, where a simple video taken from a smartphone can be converted into a detailed 3D image of a forest area. This allows for a more comprehensive view of the forest structure, helping to get an understanding of the forest areas, and track forest health and growth over time.
By integrating these advancements with existing tools like satellite imagery and LiDAR, forest owners and regulators will have a full suite of technologies at their disposal to ensure carbon forestry projects are well-documented and compliant with specific requirements for relevant schemes.
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Evidence is the backbone of any successful carbon project. From the initial stages of land assessment to the final stages of monitoring and reporting, collecting and managing the right data ensures that your project is verifiable, credible, and eligible for carbon credits. By planning your evidence collection strategy, using the right tools, and staying up-to-date with the latest technologies, you can set your carbon forestry project up for long-term success.
Whether you’re just starting out or are deep into your project, remember: robust evidence collection isn't just a regulatory requirement, it's the key to unlocking the full potential of your carbon forest. Make sure you have the evidence to back up your claims.
Glossary
Carbon Sequestration
The process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂). In the context of forestry, this occurs when trees absorb CO₂ through photosynthesis and store it as biomass.
LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)
A remote sensing method that uses laser pulses to measure distances. In carbon projects, LiDAR is often used to measure tree height and forest structure, helping to determine whether a forest qualifies for carbon credits under schemes like the ETS.
Forest Regeneration
The process of replanting or natural regrowth of forests, typically in areas that were previously deforested or degraded. Regeneration helps restore biodiversity and sequester carbon.
Drone Imagery
High-resolution images captured by drones. Drones can fly over specific areas, allowing forest managers to gather detailed, close-up data about planting or forest growth. GPS coordinates can be attached to ensure accuracy.
Ground Photos
Photos taken from the ground level to document specific areas of a forest. These photos can be tagged with GPS coordinates to verify the location and status of the trees, seedlings, or areas of interest.
Geotagging
The process of adding geographical identification data to photos or videos, which allows the location where the image was taken to be verified. In carbon forestry, geotagged images help prove where trees have been planted or forest regeneration has occurred.
3D Modelling
A technique that creates a three-dimensional representation of a physical object, such as a tree or forest, from a series of photos or videos. This technology allows forest managers to assess forest structure and track growth over time.
Post-89 Forest
A term used in the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to refer to forests that were established after 31 December 1989. These forests are eligible to earn carbon credits under the ETS.
Aerial Imagery
High-resolution images captured from aircraft, often used to map land areas.
Satellite Imagery
Images of Earth captured by satellites that provide a broad view of land areas.
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