Carbon Metrics & Standard Yields
Voluntary carbon markets require rigorous ex-ante modeling. We align strictly with the UK Woodland Carbon Code (WCC).
Mineral vs Organo-Mineral Soils
The biggest mistake in modeling carbon yield is ignoring baseline soil carbon. Planting trees disturbs the soil. On deep peat, the disturbance releases more carbon than the trees will ever sequester. On organo-mineral soils (shallow peaty soils 10-50cm deep), the WCC applies a heavy penalty.
| Soil Category | Carbon Stock Baseline | WCC Eligibility | Yield Impact (50yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mineral (Brown Earth) | ~60-80 tC/ha | Optimal | Base (e.g. 400t) |
| Organo-Mineral | 150-250 tC/ha | Restricted | -30% to -40% yield penalty |
| Deep Peat (>50cm) | >300 tC/ha | Ineligible | Net Emitter (Do not plant) |
Use our Carbon Yield Calculator to run exact numbers based on these soil penalties, or view our Soil Carbon Baseline estimator.
WCC Buffer Pool
Every WCC project must contribute 20% of its generated Pending Issuance Units (PIUs) into a shared buffer pool. This acts as an insurance policy for the scheme: if a forest burns down or suffers devastating disease (e.g., Ash Dieback), the pool covers the reversal. When calculating revenue in a financial model, always deduct this 20% immediately.