biodiversity.earth
How it worksProjectsPricingAboutTeamContact
Resources
InsightsCSRD GuideMethodologyGlossaryFAQ
Request consultationPortal login

Scientific methodology.

The evidence chain from field survey to audit-ready documentation.

01

Ecological Baseline
Assessment

Ecological Baseline Assessment

Independent ecologist surveys are conducted before any intervention begins. This establishes the evidence baseline against which all future change is measured — without it, no claim can be made.

  • Vegetation cover mapping and canopy structure analysis
  • Species indicator protocols across flora, fauna, and herpetofauna transects
  • Soil condition assessment and reference ecosystem comparison
All baselines are conducted by qualified ecologists following IUCN-aligned protocols.
02

Satellite
Monitoring

Satellite Monitoring

Continuous observation from the ESA Copernicus Sentinel-2 constellation provides independent verification of conditions on the ground. At 10‑metre resolution with a five-day revisit cycle, the satellite record is not a snapshot — it is a continuous log.

  • NDVI, EVI, bare soil fraction, and moisture indices
  • Historical archive from 2015 onwards enables pre-programme comparison
  • Automated disturbance detection: fire, encroachment, and clearing events
03

Additionality
Framework

Additionality Framework

Additionality is the core question of any impact claim: would this outcome have occurred without the intervention? We demonstrate additionality across four independent tests.

  • Reference site comparison against matched control areas without intervention
  • Historical land-use trajectory analysis to establish the counterfactual
  • Legal protection status check — land must not already be protected under conservation schemes that would operate regardless of the programme
  • Financial additionality: the intervention would not have occurred without credit revenue
04

Five-Year Outcome
Assessment

Five-Year Outcome Assessment

At years five and ten of the programme, an independent ecologist returns to repeat the baseline survey in full. This is not a desk exercise — it is the same field work, at the same reference points, by a party with no financial interest in the result.

  • Vegetation cover change and canopy density increase
  • Species indicator richness delta against baseline
  • Bare-soil reduction and landscape connectivity index
Documentation is a structured comparison report against the original baseline — not a narrative summary.
05

Independent
Verification

Independent Verification

Evidence packages are structured for ISAE 3000 limited or reasonable assurance engagement. The standard was chosen because it is auditor-native: reviewers know it, know its limits, and know what an absence means.

  • Ecological baseline report with GPS coordinates and legal land records
  • Full satellite monitoring record for the programme period
  • Additionality analysis and five-year outcome comparison

Evidence packages are compatible with Big 4 sustainability assurance practices and specialist ecology firms.

Methodology and regulatory references last reviewed: 9 August 2026.

Request full methodology documentation.

Complete technical specifications, protocol references, and sample evidence packages available on request.

Request documentation