Biodiverse Carbon Conservation SAW1

Biodiverse Carbon Conservation SAW1 is an environmental planting project located across multiple water catchment areas in the Adelaide Hills and Mount Lofty Ranges, just outside of Adelaide, South Australia. Registered in August 2015, the project covers 551.28 hectares and spans local government areas including Adelaide Hills, Onkaparinga, Tea Tree Gully, and Yankalilla. The regional land use across these areas primarily involves major water reservoir catchments, conservation reserves, forestry, and grazing.

Environmental planting projects involve establishing permanent plantings of a mix of native tree and understorey species. Under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings (FullCAM) methodology, the trees must be native to the local area and planted at a density sufficient to achieve true forest cover, typically requiring at least 200 stems per hectare to reach 2 metres in height and 20% crown cover. This specific project dictates that these mixed-species plantings take place on land that was cleared of forest for at least five years prior to the project's commencement.

The Adelaide Hills and Mount Lofty regions experience a Mediterranean climate and are considered high rainfall areas relative to the rest of South Australia, typically receiving between 600-1,000mm annually. The soils across these catchment landscapes are varied but generally feature sandy loams, loams, and clay loams over clay subsoils. These conditions are highly suitable for supporting diverse native ecosystems.

An interesting aspect of this project is its integration into public utility land management. The project was originally registered by a commercial carbon developer but was formally transferred to the South Australian Water Corporation (SA Water) in April 2018. This project is closely tied to SA Water's major "Reservoirs for Nature" initiative, which stands as one of the largest ecosystem restoration programs led by an Australian water utility. The initiative focuses on rehabilitating previously cleared land around major public water catchments, such as the Myponga and Mount Bold reservoirs, to improve biodiversity, create habitat for threatened species, and generate carbon credits to help offset the utility's broader carbon footprint. Over the life of the project, the total project area has fluctuated, with areas being added in 2018 and selectively removed in May 2024.