New Leaf Carbon Project

The New Leaf Carbon Project is a significant avoided deforestation project located across a dispersed estate of approximately 22,852 hectares in Tasmania. While the project area spans multiple regions, a primary cluster of the protected land is situated in the Central Highlands near Bronte Park, roughly 140km northwest of Hobart. Other significant parcels are located in the north-east of the state, near the Blue Tier and Scottsdale. The project was registered under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) scheme in April 2015, following its original establishment under the international Verified Carbon Standard (VCS).

The project operates under the "Designated Verified Carbon Standard Projects" methodology, a specialized determination designed to transition early voluntary market projects into the Australian Government's official scheme. Originally validated under the VCS methodology VM0010 (Improved Forest Management: Conversion from Logged to Protected Forest), the project activity involves preventing the harvesting of native forests on private land. By securing these forests, which were previously owned by the timber company Gunns Limited and zoned for commercial logging, the project generates carbon credits by avoiding the emissions that would have resulted from timber extraction and processing.

The environmental context of the New Leaf estate is diverse, reflecting Tasmania's rugged geography. The Central Highlands components, such as the Five Rivers Reserve, are characterized by a cool, high-rainfall climate (receiving up to 2,500mm annually) with frequent frost and snow. Soils in these regions are typically derived from Jurassic dolerite, supporting a mix of old-growth eucalypt forests, alpine heathlands, and sphagnum moss beds. The north-eastern properties contain temperate rainforest species like myrtle-beech and sassafras, thriving in rich, basaltic clay loams.

A key feature of this project is its origin story; it arose from the collapse of Gunns Limited in 2010, which presented a rare opportunity for the Tasmanian Land Conservancy (TLC) to purchase a vast portfolio of native forest. The acquisition was heavily supported by philanthropist Jan Cameron (via the Elsie Cameron Foundation) and has since provided critical habitat for threatened species such as the Tasmanian Devil, the Spotted-tailed Quoll, and the Wedge-tailed Eagle. The project has also been utilized by corporate partners, including Virgin Australia, to offset customer flight emissions.