Biodiverse Carbon Conservation SAW1

Biodiverse Carbon Conservation SAW1 is a significant environmental planting project located across multiple reservoir reserves in the Mount Lofty Ranges and Fleurieu Peninsula, surrounding Adelaide, South Australia. Registered in August 2015, the project covers approximately 551 hectares of land managed by the South Australian Water Corporation (SA Water). The planting sites are situated within critical water catchment areas, specifically near the Myponga, Millbrook, and Mount Bold reservoirs. These locations are approximately 30 to 60 kilometers from the Adelaide CBD, nestled in a region predominantly defined by water conservation, viticulture, and grazing.

The project operates under the "Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings" methodology. This involves establishing permanent native forest cover on land that had been cleared for at least five years prior to project commencement. The planting design typically utilizes a mix of local native tree and shrub species (tubestock or direct seeding) to emulate natural vegetation communities. By using the FullCAM model, the carbon sequestered by these growing trees is calculated to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).

Environmentally, the project areas benefit from a Mediterranean climate characterized by cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. As these sites are active water catchments, they are situated in some of South Australia's higher rainfall zones (generally 600mm–900mm+ annually), which is conducive to rapid tree establishment. The soils in these regions are typically podzolic or loamy over clay, requiring careful management to prevent erosion, a key co-benefit of this project.

A notable aspect of this project is its administrative history and strategic value. Originally registered by "Biodiverse Carbon" (now trading as Canopy, a Greening Australia company) on behalf of SA Water, the project was transferred directly to SA Water's controllership in 2018. This shift aligns with SA Water's ambitious corporate strategy to achieve net zero emissions by 2030. Beyond carbon abatement, the revegetation of these reservoir banks provides critical ecosystem services, including stabilizing slopes to reduce sediment runoff into the drinking water supply and connecting fragmented habitat for native wildlife.