Forico 2020 ERF Plantation Projects

Forico 2020 ERF Plantation Projects is a plantation forestry project dispersed across the prime forestry regions of Tasmania, including the North West, North East, and the Southern Huon Valley. Registered on May 21, 2020, the project covers approximately 1,409 hectares of Forico's extensive estate. Rather than being located near a single town, the project areas are scattered near key regional hubs such as Devonport, Scottsdale, and Huonville, reflecting the broad footprint of Tasmania’s commercial forestry sector.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2017. Specifically, it utilizes the "conversion from short-term to long-term rotation" activity. This involves altering the management of existing hardwood plantations, typically harvested every 10–15 years for pulpwood (woodchips), to a longer cycle (25+ years) to produce higher-value sawlogs. By extending the trees' growth period, the project sequesters carbon in the forest for a longer duration and eventually stores it in long-lived wood products like construction timber and flooring.

The environmental conditions across these Tasmanian regions are ideally suited for rapid tree growth. The areas are generally characterized by high rainfall (often exceeding 1,000mm annually) and fertile soils, particularly the deep, red volcanic Ferrosols found in the North West and the productive texture-contrast soils of the North East. These conditions support the vigorous growth of Eucalyptus nitens (Shining Gum) and Eucalyptus globulus (Blue Gum), the primary species managed in these estates.

An interesting aspect of this project is its focus on "Natural Capital." Forico, Tasmania's largest private forestry manager, uses this project to demonstrate how commercial forestry can pivot from low-value commodities (woodchips) to high-value sustainable timber while generating a new revenue stream through Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). The project activities include strategic thinning of trees aged 9–12 years, which reduces competition and allows the remaining trees to grow larger in diameter, suitable for sawing.