Evidence Layers
Evidence is what proves your work happened. The more you provide, the stronger your Bumicert. You need at least 2 types of evidence to be eligible.
What is MRV?
Every Bumicert is built on MRV: Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification. It is the system that makes your evidence credible and trustworthy.
Monitoring — track what you are doing: trees planted, hectares restored, workshops delivered
Reporting — document your activities clearly with evidence
Verification — make sure your data is accurate and credible
Each evidence layer you submit is part of your MRV. The more layers you provide, the more complete your monitoring and reporting will be, and the easier it is to verify your impact.
If you are new to MRV, watch this intro video from one of our community calls: Watch the video
The Evidence Layers
Bumicerts use six types of evidence. You need at least 2 layers to create a bumicert. The more layers you include, the stronger your credibility.
Visual & Activity Documentation
This layer combines visual proof with systematic records of what you did. Together, they tell the complete story of your activities.
Visual documentation:
Photos of planting activities, restoration work, or conservation efforts
Before-and-after images showing change over time
Videos of community participation or site conditions
Images of key features like planted areas, protected habitats, or infrastructure
Activity records:
Planting logs with dates, species names, quantities, and locations
Attendance sheets from workshops, training sessions, or community workdays
Work diaries tracking restoration activities
Schedules showing when different phases of work happened
Simple spreadsheets or notebooks documenting progress
How to present this evidence:
Photos and videos should be organized like a report—each image tells part of your project story. Include clear descriptions that explain:
What is shown in the image
When it was taken (date)
Where it was taken (location name or GPS coordinates)
Who was involved (community members, your team)
Why it matters to your project
Example: A photo captioned "Community members planting 100 mangrove seedlings in Coastal Plot B, March 15, 2024, GPS: -1.2345, 36.7890" paired with a planting log showing species, quantities, and survival rates creates strong documentation.
Field Data
Field data is evidence collected on the ground. It shows what exists at your project site and where. This includes both location data and physical measurements.
What to include:
GPS coordinates of individual trees, plots, or habitat features
Species counts of plants, animals, or birds observed
Acoustic recordings for wildlife monitoring
Drone or satellite imagery of restoration sites
Biomass measurements or carbon estimates
Soil samples or water quality tests
Survival rates of planted trees or seedlings
Plot boundaries marked on a map
Ideas on how to collect location data:
Use a smartphone GPS app — many are free
Mark points with a handheld GPS device
For tree planting projects: use ODK Collect connected to KoboToolbox to collect GPS coordinates and data for each tree
If you do biodiversity observations, you can create a Project page via iNaturalist.
Visualizing your data on Green Globe:
Green Globe supports direct upload and visualization of three types of field data:
Tree data — upload GPS-tagged tree records to see them mapped across your site
Audio recordings — upload sound files with location data for acoustic monitoring
Drone imagery — coming soon
Once uploaded, your data appears on an interactive map alongside your project, making it easy to share with funders and supporters.
Governance Evidence
Governance evidence shows that your project respects community rights and involves local decision-making.
What to include:
Meeting minutes from community gatherings where the project was discussed
Endorsement letters from local leaders, elders, or community representatives
Partnership agreements between your organization and communities
Consent forms showing permission to collect and share data
Surveys or feedback from community members
Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) documentation for Indigenous communities
Governance evidence shows that your project is collaborative, respectful, and community-driven rather than extractive.
Data Analysis
Data analysis shows what your evidence means. It goes beyond collecting information and adds scientific value to your project.
What to include:
Species identification from photos, videos, or acoustic recordings
Labeling and categorizing biodiversity data
Processing drone imagery to calculate restored area or vegetation health
Analyzing trends over time such as growth rates, survival rates, or species diversity
Interpreting acoustic data such as bird calls per hour or species richness
Creating maps or visualizations from your collected data
What is the difference between data and analysis?
An identification of a bird
Species richness in an area
An acoustic recording
Counting calls per hour or identifying species from sound
A GPS point of a tree
Mapping tree distribution across your site
Community Participation
Community involvement strengthens your Bumicert. The more you can show that local people are part of the work, the more credible your project will be to funders and supporters.
Things you can include:
Identify the local group leading or co-leading the work
Show how the community was involved in planning, data collection, or review
Document consent for photos, location data, and traditional knowledge
Describe how the people doing the work benefit, financially or in other ways
For Indigenous communities, consent should be free, given before the work starts, and fully informed. This is called Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). Some sensitive information may be kept private and shared only in summary form.
All evidence submitted to Bumicerts is public. Make sure your community knows their data, photos, and location information will be visible to everyone on the platform before you submit.
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