ACT Carbon Forest Project

The ACT Carbon Forest Project is a plantation forestry project located in the Ingledene Forest, approximately 25km south of the Canberra city centre in the Australian Capital Territory. Registered in October 2018, the project covers roughly 636 hectares of land near the Monaro Highway, just north of the border with New South Wales. The Ingledene area was historically a pine plantation that was destroyed during the 2003 Canberra bushfires and has since been the focus of replanting efforts.

This project operates under the Plantation Forestry methodology, specifically involving the establishment of a new plantation forest for the commercial harvesting of wood products. Unlike permanent environmental plantings, this method allows for rotational harvesting (typically of Pinus radiata or similar softwoods) while calculating the long-term average carbon stocks sequestered over the plantation's cycle. The project aims to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) to support the ACT Government's carbon-neutral objectives while revitalizing the local timber industry.

The region experiences a cool temperate climate with moderate annual rainfall, generally between 600mm and 700mm, which is suitable for softwood forestry. The soils in this southern district of the ACT are typically texture-contrast soils (Chromosols or Kurosols), often characterized by loam overlying clay on the slopes. Beyond carbon and timber, the re-establishment of the Ingledene Forest is designed to create a recreational hub for the region, particularly focusing on mountain biking trails and community amenity.