While this is a great first step, allowing for the sale of carbon Pending Issuance Units (PIUs), we would encourage landowners to follow four steps to maximise investment.

  • After your trees have been planted, stick to the operational plan and conduct maintenance such as weeding, herbivore control, and beat-up planting if required. The target planting density will be measured during verification and any shortfall may risk the cancellation of carbon units, so staying on top of stem survival will ensure a smooth verification.
  • Following the completion of your validation, take professional advice on selling or retaining carbon units. We have seen a diverse range of aims for carbon projects, and we can provide specialist advice on options. This includes both selling carbon units, and ‘insetting’ carbon through an internal supply chain.
  • Verification is due five years after planting is complete. We will contact landowners to start the verification process 18 months before this deadline, as verification is a complex process that involves several parties. Missing the deadline carries the risk of all carbon units being cancelled, so you are encouraged to begin verification in a timely manner.
  • The carbon and biodiversity markets are rapidly evolving both north and south of the Border. We are constantly learning more and applying this knowledge through professional expertise and advice. Over the past five years we have reported on changes in regulations, demand, carbon measuring and a whole lot more. We encourage you to keep reading our blogs and come to our talks to stay in the loop!

*Natural Capital: Galbraith’s expert advisers guide our clients in realising value in all land uses – by assessing and measuring natural assets, furthering opportunities in biodiversity net gain, and ensuring stakeholders are rewarded fully for their investment in and contribution to delivering ecosystem services and net-zero outcomes.