London, UK (DEZZ) May 2, 2012 – In a statement issued today timber-forestry-investments.com, UK’s information destination for forestry investors, observed that UK’s Woodland Carbon Code has proved extremely effective in encouraging forestry investments in the country. The statement comes on the back of the UK Forestry Commission’s announcement that its efforts to tackle climate change have reached a major milestone. According to the Commission’s estimates, the amount of CO2 that is expected to be removed from the atmosphere by tree planting projects registered under the Woodland Carbon Code has now passed one million tonnes.

In its statement, timber-forestry-investments.com explains that live trees hold significant environmental value because of their ability to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. As a consequence, a growing number of individuals, businesses and organisations have taken advantage of the opportunities that forestry investments represent — either as a contribution to the fight against climate change or to earn carbon credits for the amount of carbon offset by these projects.

The Woodland Carbon Code is a set of standards designed to ensure that offset projects sequester CO2 as effectively as claimed. The Forestry Commission implemented the Code in July 2011 and since then independent certification companies approved by the UK Accreditation Service have been auditing project proposals with the help of the Code.

“When it comes to investing their money in offset projects, decision-makers want to make sure that the initiatives they are about to fund are indeed effective in tackling climate change,” explains Wouter Bakker of Robinia Investments, the company operating timber-forestry-investments.com. According to Mr Bakker, “By providing a framework for quality, the Woodland Carbon Code helps prospective investors to select verified projects that fit their needs and encourages them to invest in these certified projects with confidence.”

According to the UK Forestry Commission, projects can only be certified under the Code if they meet its rigorous requirements for effective forest management, sustainability and carbon accounting. After submission by project developers, offset proposals are audited on the basis of the standards laid down in the Code and if the project satisfies the Code requirements, it is “validated” and thereby “certified.”

The Forestry Commission emphasises that project certification is affirmation that the evaluated initiative will be effective in achieving not only the projected carbon sequestration goals but also its sustainability management targets. This, asserts the Commission, is “critical for attracting investors.”

The Code verifies projects every five years to insure the ongoing quality of their work. Commission estimates show that to date 57 forestry projects have been registered across the UK, with the total amount of land covered by these projects being 2,733 hectares (5,565 acres). Ten of the submitted project proposals have already been certified. The Commission expects that the one million tonnes of CO₂ to be removed from the atmosphere by projects registered to this point will be sequestered for the next 100 years.

To learn more about forestry investments, timber trends and market forecasts visit timber-forestry-investments.com.