5. Self-assessment
What is self-assessment?
Self-assessment is the option to self-declare that your project is on track, healthy and still meets the Woodland Carbon Code and the UK Forestry Standard. In this case there will be no third-party check of your project. Self-assessment does not confirm the carbon sequestration to date and, as there is no third-party check, no Pending Issuance Units will be converted to Woodland Carbon Units. A verification is required to convert units.
When can I self-assess?
A project must be checked five years after the project start date and then at least every 10 years. You can only self-assess, rather than verify, from year 15 onwards if:
- Your latest verification received a 'green' status. If projects are grouped, all projects in the group were 'green' status.
- You don't have any concerns about the growth and health of your project(s).
- Your latest assessment was a verification, not a self-assessment.
- It's not the last monitoring period of your project. At the last monitoring period, you are required to do full monitoring and third-party verification.
- There have been no major changes to the project (area, management, ownership, health etc.)
Please contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you intend to self-assess and we will check you meet the criteria.
How do I self-assess?
1. Check with the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. you are eligible to self-assess this project or group.
2. To self-assess, you need to complete the following documents:
- A project progress report
- A basic monitoring report (see basic monitoring requirements)
These documents are available on our template documents webpage.
3. Upload your documents to your project on the UK Land Carbon Registry and submit as self-assessed.
4. The secretariat will review your project or group. When reviewing a self-assessed project, the secretariat can request other sources of information if any source supplied is not clear.
- If the secretariat are content with the information provided, they will approve the project as 'self-assessed'.
- If the secretariat has concerns about the growth or health of a project submitted as 'self-assessed', they can require that full monitoring and third party verification is undertaken.
