Forests Alive: Protection of Tasmanian Native Forest

Forests Alive: Protection of Tasmanian Native Forest is a native forest protection project located across multiple dispersed private landholdings throughout Tasmania. Spanning regions such as the Central Highlands, Derwent Valley, East Coast, and Huon Valley, the individual land parcels sit relative to major hubs like Hobart and Launceston. The project was registered in April 2015 and covers an extensive initial project area of 29,981.43 hectares.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Designated Verified Carbon Standard Projects) Methodology Determination 2015. This specific methodology was designed to allow early-mover conservation projects that were originally validated under the international Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) to seamlessly transition into the Australian federal carbon scheme. The core activity of the project involves working with local landholders to protect native forests on private land by ceasing scheduled timber harvesting, thus avoiding deforestation and preserving critical carbon sinks.

Tasmania’s private forested regions have historically been utilised for timber harvesting, agriculture, and livestock grazing. The environmental conditions across these diverse landholdings generally feature a temperate maritime climate known for moderate to high, reliable rainfall. The soils supporting these native Tasmanian forests vary by region, but frequently consist of dolerite-derived clays, podzols, and loams typical of the island's landscape.

An interesting historical note about this project is its early prominence: it was a successful bidder in the very first Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) auction in April 2015, helping pioneer the transition of voluntary market projects to the federal compliance scheme. Under its initial contract (CAC680735), the proponent committed to delivering 771,995 tonnes of carbon abatement. This milestone was fully and successfully completed in August 2024. Additionally, a minor project variation took place in August 2017, where certain land areas were removed to adjust conservation boundaries, which also resulted in the voluntary relinquishment of units linked to a separate, now-revoked project called Lake Echo.