For supporters
What a useful conservation project update should show
Follow the work and the money with plain-language reporting that acknowledges progress, gaps and uncertainty.
Transparency means being able to connect a promise, a payment and a record of the work—without pretending they prove the same thing.
Begin with the agreed work
A meaningful update starts with a reference point. What did the project plan to do, in which place and during which period? Without that context, an appealing photograph can be difficult to interpret.
A short update can name the activity, who carried it out, its date and what changed. If work is delayed or a plan needs revision, say so. A candid explanation is more useful than repeating that everything is going well.
Show how funding supports the work
Funding reports should distinguish money pledged from money received and money actually paid out. They should explain the purpose of payments and make service fees understandable.
A supporter should not have to infer that every contribution goes directly to a landowner. Fieldwork, reporting and administration can have legitimate costs; those costs belong in the budget. Personal financial details and sensitive records need appropriate privacy controls.
- The reporting period and agreed activity.
- Funds received, allocated and paid, clearly distinguished.
- The purpose of payments and disclosed fees.
- Photos or field notes with dates and context.
- Outstanding work and the next update.
Give photographs context
Photos are stronger evidence when linked to a date, location record and field note. Repeated observations from a consistent point can help tell the story of a place over time. A photograph cannot establish every claim about biodiversity, carbon or a whole property.
Public maps can show a general region while precise locations remain restricted. This matters when a record includes sensitive habitat, private land or community information.
Use digital records for the right purpose
Living Places plans to introduce NFTrees and other digital representations after its operating foundations are in place. The intention is gratitude and connection: a way to follow a tree or feature and learn about its care. They are not intended to promise investment returns or transfer property rights.
A blockchain record can help make a recorded transaction traceable. It does not independently prove that fieldwork happened or that a conservation result was achieved. Receipts, agreements, field records and suitable verification still matter.
Likewise, estimates about a tree should identify their method and uncertainty. An estimate is not an independently issued carbon credit. Keeping these distinctions visible makes the project easier to understand and support.