A little more about our projects    

So, you've offset your carbon. Here's a little more about how your investment will be managed. All the schemes outlined below are owned and managed in partnership with co2balance for the benefit of clients, the climate, the environment and local communities.

Bishops Wood

Bishops Wood was planted in 2004. Situated in the heart of Devon it provides an ideal location for a carbon offset project that also supports local biodiversity. Prior to investment, the land in this area was used for intensive grazing. Pesticides, fertilisers and low quality vegetation endemic to this practice contributed to a state of poor biodiversity in the area. Since March of 2004 65% of the area has been forested with indigenous trees. The result: Badger populations have increased dramatically, mice have recolonised the areas of long grass, and Kestrels (and other birds of prey) have been attracted by the increasing rodent populations.

The pictures to the right show planting sessions during November 2004 (top) and March 2006 (bottom). The white "cylinders" that encapsulate the trees prevent deer from feasting on (and destroying) the newly planted trees.

     
November 2006 tree plant
co2balance's tree plant, November 2004, 35kB  
   
March 2006 tree plant
co2balance's tree plant March 2006  

Sand Martin Wood
 
Sand Martins Wood, summer 2006
 

Sand Martin Wood lies just outside the village of Faugh in Cumbria. It is named after a large colony of Sand Martins that inhabit the neighbouring hills. The state of the land prior to investment was very similar to that of Bishops Wood; intensive grazing practices had squeezed much of the biodiversity life blood from the area. The land, (which was purchased in November 2006) was recently subjected to a well planned program of afforestation in which 6 hectares were set aside for Woodland and 3 hectares for a County Wildlife Site to support local biodiversity. A typical mix of native UK, broadleafed trees will be introduced to the site over the next two years. Species will include oak, ash, beech, willow, cherry and field maple as well as suitable understorey like thorn, hazel and viburnum.

 
     
     
Efficiency Offsets In Kenya    

We have recently begun a program in Kenya in which energy inefficient lightbulbs are replaced with super efficient ones concentrating on the Masai Mara area. As well as creating emissions savings, this program has also helped rural farmers and small scale business owners to save money on their electricity expenditure. In the harsh business environment out there, every little saving helps. This operation is only a few months old, but promises to yield some great results. Keep watching this space for more information and pictures.

 

How are the offset calculations made?

The average short haul flight generates approximately 150 kg of carbon per hour of flight time. The mass of carbon produced in this manner is offset using 1 or other (or both) of the following strategies:

1. Trees

A tree fixes approximately 900kg of carbon (i.e in the form of timber) over the course of it's lifetime. The sequestration rate of a tree on an annual basis varies from species to species, but also from tree to tree and according to weather conditions. It is a challenging task to calculate exactly how much CO2 is sequestered on an annual basis within a given forest, but generally an average sequestration rate can be established for a given area of trees and this value used to sequester carbon.

Efficiency offsets

If the carbon you have purchased is the result of an efficiency offset program (i.e. efficiency gains in other parts of the world), then the carbon you pay for will be offset by saving emissions at source. How is this done? Extensive research reveals the average use of carbon fuels in a given area over a 6 month time period. These areas are then provided with efficient lightbulbs (or other replacement low energy appliances and equipment) that provide measurable savings to the average consumption of electricity (and therefore carbon). The average carbon saving made through these programs are then sold as an offset.

  
 

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