Montdown Tree Farms Plantation Project (Revoked)

Montdown Tree Farms Plantation Project (Revoked) was a plantation forestry project located near the rural locality of Forcett, approximately 30km east of Hobart in Tasmania. The project was registered in May 2018 and covered an area of 204 hectares within the Sorell Council municipality. The project was revoked in June 2021, and its associated carbon abatement contract was terminated earlier that year.

The project operated under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2017. Specifically, it utilized the "short-term to long-term rotation" activity (Schedule 2). This methodology rewards forest managers for changing their harvest schedules, for example, switching from growing trees for short-cycle woodchips (pulp) to long-cycle sawlogs (structural timber). By extending the time between harvests, the average volume of carbon stored in the trees and wood products increases significantly over the long term compared to the previous baseline.

The region surrounding Forcett and the wider South East Tasmania area is characterized by a cool-temperate climate with moderate rainfall, generally averaging between 600mm and 800mm annually, which is drier than the western parts of the state. The landscape supports mixed agricultural land use, primarily grazing and forestry operations. Soils in this vicinity are often diverse, featuring clay loams derived from dolerite or basalt, as well as sandy loams in coastal pockets.

A notable aspect of this project is its status as "Revoked" under section 30 of the CFI Rule, which typically indicates a voluntary revocation by the proponent. This can occur for various reasons, such as a change in land ownership, a shift in commercial strategy, or a determination that the project was not commercially viable under the contract terms. The carbon abatement contract associated with the project was listed as "Lapsed/Terminated" in January 2021.