Public consultations

The Woodland Carbon Code and Peatland Code invited everyone to express their views on how the outcomes of the Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland (FIRNS) Biodiversity Crediting project might be applied in nature markets. This included whether and how they could be implemented under the Woodland Carbon Code and Peatland Code. This public consultation ran from 17/01/2025 to 17/02/2025.

As the biodiversity crediting market evolves, the topic of stacking and bundling is frequently discussed. This refers to different approaches of how a single restoration project can produce multiple types of credits, or units of habitat- or ecosystem service uplift. For example, the same restoration project could increase biodiversity, reduce flood risk, sequester carbon or improve water quality. As multiple types of natural capital or ecosystem services become converted into sellable credits, it becomes increasingly challenging to address issues of additionality, buyer claims, and integrity within a project.  

Following the public consultation, we will review the comments and feedback, and where possible, incorporate into proposals on measuring, quantifying and potentially crediting biodiversity. These proposals will be presented to the Woodland Carbon and Peatland Code’s Executive Boards for consideration as set out in the methodology development framework of each standard. A summary report with anonymous results from the consultation will be published on our websites.   For any questions, please contact peatlandcode@iucn.org.uk if your question is peatland focussed, or info@woodlandcarboncode.org.uk if your question is woodland focussed. Information on how we collect and use the data from the consultation can be read in our Privacy Notice.

This project is supported by The Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland (FIRNS). Delivered by NatureScot in collaboration with The Scottish Government and in partnership with the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The open and transparent public consultation ran between 18 April 2024 and 20 May 2024. Anyone interested in contributing their views was invited to complete our survey.  

The main changes in version 2.1 are: a grouping option, updates for monitoring vegetation in Modified to Rewetted Modified bog, more comprehensive guide for using the risk buffer, risk assessment and clarity around surveying in areas with shallow peat. Version 3.0 is expected in the second quarter of 2025 and is likely to include an MRV option for biodiversity credits that will either be stacked or bundled. 

The documents for review and comment can be download below:  DRAFT Peatland Code Version 2.1DRAFT Peatland Code Guidance Document  DRAFT Field Protocol Version 2.1DRAFT Condition Field Matrix 

Following the public consultation period, the comments and feedback received were reviewed and if possible incorporated into the final version 2.1. However, some feedback or comments may need longer to incorporate into version 2.1 and be pushed back to version 3.0, which is expected in the second quarter of 2026.

• You can read the summary report here. For any questions please contact Garance Wood-Moulin: peatlandcode@iucn.org.uk