Plant-to-earn: Incentivizing Urban Tree Planting Through Carbon Measurement and Decentralised Investment

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Piet Dimitriadis

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

12

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

Leverage investor capital to provide rewards for community tree planting and ongoing carbon sequestration monitoring, enabling investors to yield carbon credits from verifiable, crowd-sourced data.

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

No dependencies.

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

Smart Contracts

All smart contracts developed as part of this project will be open source and publicly available throughout the entire project lifecycle. We intend to use the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0) for the smart contract code. This license ensures that the code remains free and open, while also requiring that any modifications or derivative works are also released under the same open source terms. The smart contract code will be hosted in a public GitHub repository, allowing for transparency, community review, and potential contributions. This approach aligns with blockchain best practices and fosters trust in the underlying protocol.

User Interface

The user interface (UI) components of the project will remain closed source. This decision is based on several factors:

• A proprietary UI allows us to maintain a unique user experience and differentiate our product in the market.
• Keeping the UI closed source helps protect our design innovations and branding elements.
• While we believe in the "security through transparency" principle for smart contracts, a closed-source UI can provide an additional layer of security against potential exploits targeting the front-end (phishing attacks etc.).

We believe this hybrid approach strikes a balance between openness and protecting our project's interests. It allows for scrutiny and trust in the core blockchain interactions while maintaining control over the user-facing aspects of the application.

[METADATA] Horizons

Marketplace

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

Background

Trees planted outside of forests play a crucial role in enhancing our environment, offering numerous benefits such as improved air quality, carbon sequestration, shade, heat absorption through evapotranspiration, enhanced groundwater recharge, and more aesthetically pleasing landscapes.

Globally, individuals face a lack of direct monetary incentives to plant trees in urban environments such as home gardens, schools and parks to create greener spaces.

While carbon credit schemes have provided financial motivation for large-scale reforestation projects, these programs are typically too rigid and exclusive to allow individual participation. This absence of incentives is further exacerbated by the significant costs associated with purchasing seedling trees from traditional retailers and transportation costs. As a result, the potential for widespread tree planting by individuals remains largely untapped, despite the considerable environmental advantages it could offer.

Solution

The Cardano ecosystem offers a robust platform for incentivizing tree planting through various innovative mechanisms. By facilitating a decentralised network, we devise a system which connects seed producers directly with tree planters, streamlining the supply chain. This system will empower tree planters to become seed producers themselves, creating a positive feedback loop which will increase seedling availability over time.

Through the use of smart contracts, our ecosystem will enable all participants to measure the carbon stored in their trees and earn carbon offsets, providing a tangible financial benefit. Cardano's smart contract technology will enable investors to supply money into community tree funds, attracting individuals from those regions to plant trees and receive immediate cash flow rewards. This ecosystem will provide businesses and governments seeking to increase tree cover and offset their emissions the ability to fund and purchase traceable and verifiable carbon credit tokens, ensuring transparency and accountability in the carbon market.

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

This project will increase adoption within the Cardano ecosystem by enhancing the real-world utility of the network. By attracting more users and projects to the platform, this initiative will foster a vibrant community which will engage with various other decentralized applications (dApps) and services.

Furthermore, the project focusing on the accessible community activity of tree planting allows non-technical individuals to begin interacting with the Cardano community as their first introduction to blockchain.

Critically, this project will bring more liquidity into the Cardano ecosystem through attracting institutional investment into community tree funds. Increased liquidity is vital for any blockchain ecosystem as it enhances trading opportunities and stabilizes asset prices, thereby encouraging further participation.

Moreover, this project will further legitimize the Cardano network as a facilitator of transparent and verifiable environmental restoration projects. By focusing on sustainability and environmental impact, it will position Cardano as a responsible and ethical player in the blockchain space. This not only enhances its reputation but also aligns with global efforts toward environmental conservation, making it an attractive option for socially conscious investors.

Finally, with the cost of carbon emissions expected to grow rapidly in the near future, this project has the potential to redistribute wealth from some of the world's largest polluters to Cardano users who are actively restoring the environment. Establishing such protocols now will establish the Cardano ecosystem as the premier marketplace for trading carbon globally.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

The capability to deliver this project with high levels of trust and accountability is rooted in the extensive experience and expertise of the team involved. The team has a proven track record in the forestry and soil carbon capture industry, having successfully developed complex Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) solutions through the Ryzo.earth platform. This platform enables precise determination of soil organic carbon, showcasing the team's technical proficiency and commitment to delivering reliable results.

Composed of engineers with experience ranging from three to twenty five years, the team possesses a diverse skill set across regulated and voluntary carbon markets, software, and carbon MRV that is essential for navigating the complexities of this project. This collective expertise not only enhances our ability to execute the project effectively but also fosters a culture of accountability where each member understands their role and responsibilities.

To maintain transparency and keep the community informed about progress, the project will include periodic video updates. These updates will serve as a platform for sharing milestones and gathering feedback from stakeholders, reinforcing a collaborative approach to project development. This commitment to open communication is crucial for building trust within the community.

Furthermore, specific components related to carbon accounting will undergo accreditation through organisations such as the Clean Energy Regulator in Australia, Verra or Carbon Standards International. This external validation is a critical step in ensuring that the project's methodologies and outcomes are credible and trustworthy.

[PROJECT MILESTONES] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

NFTree generation smart contract

Budget: 83k ADA = $41,500 AUD

Duration: 2 months

Outputs:

• Proof of concept DApp to capture the required metadata defined for NFTrees to enable quantification of carbon net abatement (e.g. Photo, total height, girth at 1.3m, species, geospatial coordinates, date planted…)
• Profitable species identified (e.g. E. macrorhyncha, E. polyanthemos, E. radiata, E. melliodora, E. obliqua are some preliminary candidates due to the ease of propagating, growth rate, locality etc.) and seed sources identification
• Smart Contract established for minting NFTrees
• Proof-of-concept tree planting in Melbourne Australia
• 
  

DApp Development

Budget: 183k ADA = $92,000 AUD

Duration: 4 months

Outputs:

• Design of the user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) taking into account different personas.
• Improvement of Mobile DApp front end UI development, aligned with the designs.
• Asset library generated for various NFTree types (different graphics for different tree species etc.)
• Onboarding flow (e.g. wallet generation, account creation) flow for users who are new to the Cardano ecosystem.
• Video how-to guide for tree planting and NFT minting through the platform.
• 
  

Community Pooling of NFTrees

Budget: 50k ADA = $25,000 AUD

Duration: 1 months.

Outputs:

• Engage community, investors and offsetters to define their expectations and required metadata for community tree funds (e.g. region, acceptable tree types, collateral requirements, project description, project representative contact details…)
• Smart contract developed for generating community tree funds.
• Mobile App UI developed for allowing investors to generate community tree funds and planters to pledge their NFTrees into these pools.
• 
  

Net Abatement Calculations

Budget: 70k ADA = $35,000 AUD

Duration: 2 months

Outputs:

• Define carbon stock calculations using species specific allometric equations.
• Develop an off-chain code for real-time tree carbon valuation, along with UI to show the current carbon stock within a user and community pool’s trees.
• Create UI to allow users to preview the carbon stock of their trees / the community pool.
• Develop a smart contract for calculating net carbon abatement and delivering carbon credit tokens to investors.
• Have an auditor validate all calculations to ensure high integrity
• Video tutorial instructing users how to operate the staking pools, incentivise planters to measure the carbon stock in their trees using the mobile application and hence generate credits.

Seed supply

Budget: 113k ADA = $56,500 AUD

Duration: 3 months

Outputs:

• Engage community experts and local nurseries to define their expectations in terms of expected remuneration, and interest in participating, seed collection, seed propagation and quality controls.
• Build a marketplace for buying and selling seedlings through the platform.
• Build UI for searching for seed providers in your area (map view and list view)
• Ability for users to register as seed providers and set prices for their seedlings and saplings.
• Create a quality control process for buyers to verify that their seedlings are suitable for use.

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Roles:

• 2x Core Developer (full time)
• 2x Carbon Domain Expert (half time)
• Product Designer (full time initially then casual)
• Environmental Science Advisor (casual)

See https://www.ryzo.earth/company/our-team for our team member descriptions.

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Milestone 1: NFTree Generation Smart Contract

• Task: Proof of concept DApp to capture required metadata for NFTrees (e.g., photo, total height, girth at 1.3m, species, geospatial coordinates, date planted)
• Budget: 37,688.4 ADA
• Task: Identify profitable species (e.g., E. macrorhyncha, E. polyanthemos, E. radiata, E. melliodora, E. obliqua) and seed sources
• Budget: 25,125.6 ADA
• Task: Establish Smart Contract for minting NFTrees
• Budget: 12,562.8 ADA
• Task: Conduct proof-of-concept tree planting in Melbourne, Australia
• Budget: 7,537.7 ADA
• Subtotal: 82,914.6 ADA

Milestone 2: User Interface Development

• Task: Design user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) for different personas
• Budget: 75,376.9 ADA
• Task: Improve Mobile DApp front end UI development
• Budget: 50,251.3 ADA
• Task: Generate asset library for various NFTree types (different graphics for different tree species)
• Budget: 25,125.6 ADA
• Task: Develop onboarding flow for new users in the Cardano ecosystem (e.g., wallet generation, account creation)
• Budget: 25,125.6 ADA
• Task: Create video how-to guide for tree planting and NFT minting through the platform
• Budget: 7,537.7 ADA
• Subtotal: 183,417.1 ADA

Milestone 3: Community Pooling of NFTrees

• Task: Engage community and investors to define expectations and required metadata for community tree funds (e.g., region, acceptable tree types)
• Budget: 12,562.8 ADA
• Task: Develop smart contract for generating community tree funds
• Budget: 12,562.8 ADA
• Task: Develop Mobile App UI for investors to generate community tree funds and planters to pledge their NFTrees
• Budget: 25,125.6 ADA
• Subtotal: 50,251.3 ADA

Milestone 4: Net Abatement Calculations

• Task: Define carbon stock calculations using species-specific allometric equations
• Budget: 25,125.6 ADA
• Task: Develop off-chain code for real-time tree carbon valuation and UI to show current carbon stock in user/community pools
• Budget: 12,562.8 ADA
• Task: Develop smart contract for calculating net carbon abatement and delivering carbon credit tokens to investors
• Budget: 12,562.8 ADA
• Task: Have auditor validate all calculations to ensure high integrity
• Budget: 12,562.8 ADA
• Task: Create video tutorial on operating staking pools and measuring carbon stock using the mobile application
• Budget: 7,537.7 ADA
• Subtotal: 70,351.8 ADA

Final Milestone: Seed Supply

• Task: Engage community experts and local nurseries to define expectations regarding remuneration and participation in seed collection and propagation
• Budget: 12,562.8 ADA
• Task: Facilitate buying and selling of seedlings through the platform
• Budget: 25,125.6 ADA
• Task: Build UI for searching seed providers in area (map view and list view)
• Budget: 25,125.6 ADA
• Task: Allow users to register as seed providers and set prices for seedlings/saplings
• Budget: 25,125.6 ADA
• Task: Create quality control process for buyers to verify suitability of seedlings
• Budget: 25,125.6 ADA
• Subtotal: 113,065.3 ADA

Total Budget

• Total Budget Across All Milestones: 500,000 ADA

[VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

This project requires specialized expertise in forestry carbon methodologies and practical experience in tree planting. A solid understanding of relevant software and scientific principles is crucial for effective carbon accounting, making this a niche skill set due to the industry's early stage.

To address these needs, the budget allocates competitive salaries to ensure fair compensation for our team's expertise. This strategy not only retains top talent but also cultivates a dedicated team capable of delivering high-quality results for the Cardano community.

The project will serve as a high-integrity, environmentally positive gateway for individuals engaging with the Cardano community. Its positive impact will enhance goodwill towards the community, generating additional value for all stakeholders.