FIT 2020 Carbon Projects ERF

FIT 2020 Carbon Projects ERF is a plantation forestry project located in the "Green Triangle" region of southwestern Victoria, spanning approximately 3,619 hectares. The project areas are situated roughly 25 kilometers southwest of Casterton and 15 kilometers north of Dartmoor. Registered on March 13, 2020, this project is part of the extensive forestry assets managed by the proponent, The Trust Company (Australia) Limited as trustee for Forestry Investment Trust (FIT).

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2017. Its primary activities involve converting existing short-rotation plantation forests, typically managed for pulpwood, into long-rotation forests managed for sawlogs, as well as establishing new plantation forests. This shift not only produces higher-value timber products but also significantly extends the duration carbon is stored in the trees before harvest. The project has secured a carbon abatement contract with the Clean Energy Regulator for 350,000 tonnes of abatement.

The Green Triangle region is one of Australia's premier forestry hubs, characterized by reliable high rainfall (averaging 600–800mm+ annually) and deep, fertile soils ranging from sandy loams to basalt-derived clays. These conditions are ideal for rapid tree growth, supporting the region's dominant land uses of commercial forestry (primarily Radiata Pine and Tasmanian Blue Gum) and livestock grazing. The Forestry Investment Trust is managed by New Forests, a global investment manager specializing in sustainable forestry, on behalf of institutional investors such as AIMCo.