Forests Alive: Protection of Tasmanian Native Forest

Forests Alive: Protection of Tasmanian Native Forest is a native forest protection project located across multiple private properties in Tasmania, spanning from the Huon Valley near Hobart to Latrobe near Launceston. Registered in April 2015, the project covers a vast 29,981 hectares.

The project operates under the Carbon Farming Initiative-Designated Verified Carbon Standard Projects Methodology Determination 2015. This specific methodology allows pre-existing environmental projects registered under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) before June 2014 to transition into the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) scheme. Project activities fall under Improved Forest Management, where proponents generate carbon credits by protecting native forests on private land from commercial timber harvesting for a nominated period of 25 years.

Because the project spans various regions across the state, the land use and environmental conditions are highly diverse. The Tasmanian Midlands regions are primarily known for sheep and cattle grazing as well as broadacre cropping, featuring moderate to low annual rainfall. Soils in these inland areas typically range from sandy loams to heavier clays. Conversely, northern coastal areas like Latrobe and southern areas like the Huon Valley experience much higher average annual rainfall and feature richer soils such as volcanic ferrosols (basalt) and podzols. These varying environments heavily support native forestry, dairy farming, and horticulture.

An interesting fact about this project is that it was not only verified under the VCS but also the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA) standard, recognizing its vital role in conserving habitat for endangered native species, including the wedge-tailed eagle, spotted quoll, and Tasmanian devil. Furthermore, the project secured a major Emissions Reduction Fund fixed delivery contract (CAC680735) for over 770,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, which was successfully completed in August 2024.