Dutson Downs Carbon Sequestration Project

The Dutson Downs Carbon Sequestration Project is an environmental planting project located at Dutson Downs, approximately 30 kilometers south-east of Sale in the Gippsland region of Victoria. Registered in January 2019, the project covers 470 hectares of land owned and managed by the Central Gippsland Region Water Corporation (Gippsland Water). The site is part of a larger 8,500-hectare property that has historically been used for diverse purposes, including agriculture, wastewater treatment, and waste management.

The project operates under the "Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM" methodology. This involves establishing permanent plantings of mixed native tree species on land that was cleared and used for agricultural purposes (such as grazing or cropping) for at least five years prior to the project's commencement. The methodology requires the plantings to be established at a density sufficient to achieve forest cover, defined as trees reaching a height of at least two meters and a crown canopy cover of at least 20%. The carbon sequestered by these growing trees is calculated using the Full Carbon Accounting Model (FullCAM).

Environmentally, the Dutson Downs region is characterized by a temperate climate with moderate rainfall, averaging approximately 650mm annually. The local terrain features predominantly sandy soils, which are typical of the coastal Gippsland area and have historically facilitated the site's function as a wastewater irrigation and soil remediation facility.

A notable aspect of this project is its integration into Gippsland Water's broader sustainability strategy. The organization has committed to reaching Net Zero carbon emissions by 2030, and this carbon sequestration project serves as a key offset mechanism within that pledge. Additionally, the Dutson Downs property is home to "Gippsland Regional Organics," a major EPA-licensed composting facility that processes organic waste from across the region, further emphasizing the site's role in circular economy and environmental management initiatives.