RJ Russell Reforestation Project (Revoked)

RJ Russell Reforestation Project is a reforestation and afforestation project located approximately 15km west of Jerramungup in the Needilup locality of Western Australia's Great Southern region. It was registered in July 2015 and covers an area of 916.78 hectares.

Reforestation and afforestation projects under the 2013 Carbon Farming Initiative methodology involve establishing permanent plantings of trees on land previously used for agriculture or grazing, which had been clear of forest for at least five years prior to commencement. These plantings must be managed to reach a height of at least two metres and achieve a minimum crown cover of 20% across the project area.

The Great Southern region around Jerramungup is heavily utilized for broadacre agriculture, primarily wheat and canola cropping, as well as sheep grazing. The area experiences a Mediterranean to semi-arid climate with moderate to low annual rainfall. Soils in this region are typically duplex sandy loams over clay and can be highly susceptible to secondary salinity. The project specifically targeted the permanent planting of eucalypt species including Eucalyptus cladocalyx (Sugar Gum) and Eucalyptus occidentalis (Swamp Yate or Flat-topped Yate), which are well-adapted to these soil types and frequently used by landholders to combat waterlogging and land degradation.

Interestingly, the proponent, R.J. Russell Nominees Pty Ltd, is an established agricultural operator in the region, managing a nearby property that previously granted the local Shire of Jerramungup access to an emergency water supply dam for community and firefighting use. Despite the project's large scale, this carbon initiative was officially revoked on 23 April 2018 under section 32 of the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) Rule, meaning it is no longer an active participant in the ACCU scheme.