Cloudland Connectivity and Carbon (Revoked)

Cloudland Connectivity and Carbon (Revoked) is an environmental planting project located in the Atherton Tablelands region of Far North Queensland, approximately 60km southwest of Cairns and 20km southeast of Atherton [1]. It was registered in June 2013 and covers a small area of 0.72 hectares [1]. The Atherton Tablelands area is well known for its high tropical rainfall and rich volcanic basalt and clay soils, which support extensive local land uses such as dairy farming, beef cattle grazing, and agriculture.

The project utilised the 2012 Environmental Plantings Reforestation Modelling Tool methodology [1]. Environmental planting projects involve establishing permanent plantings of native tree species on land that has been clear of forest for at least five years [1]. A standard requirement of this method is planting trees at a density sufficient to achieve forest cover, which typically means a minimum of 200 stems per hectare to eventually reach at least 20% crown cover and a height of two metres. For this project, the native trees were planted to provide ecological connectivity and restore native tree mixes in the local area.

In a notable development, the Clean Energy Regulator issued a notice in January 2020 under section 32 of the CFI Act requiring the proponent, David Alan Hudson, to relinquish 105 Kyoto Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) [2]. Shortly after this relinquishment notice, the project was officially revoked in February 2020 under section 29 of the CFI Rule [1]. Interestingly, the proponent was later involved in a subsequent carbon initiative, the Freemans Forest Community Carbon Pilot, registered after the revocation of this initial project [2].