Water Corporation Carbon Plantations

Water Corporation Carbon Plantations is a plantation forestry project located across multiple sites in the South West region of Western Australia. The project areas are primarily situated near the townships of Boddington and Boyup Brook, approximately 200 kilometers south-east of Perth. Registered in August 2021, the project encompasses a total area of 2,087 hectares.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022. This methodology allows for the generation of carbon credits by establishing new plantation forests for commercial harvest or by maintaining existing plantations that were at risk of conversion to non-forested land. In this specific case, the project involves planting Radiata Pine to sequester carbon while simultaneously providing a sustainable softwood timber source for the Western Australian building industry.

The surrounding region is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with high winter-dominant rainfall, creating ideal conditions for forestry and agriculture. The landscape typically features lateritic soils, known for their ironstone gravel content, as well as sandy loams and clays found in the valleys. The area is a hub for mixed land use, supporting state forests, bauxite and gold mining operations, and broadacre grazing.

A notable aspect of this project is its partnership structure; it is delivered in collaboration with the Forest Products Commission (FPC). The project forms a critical component of the Water Corporation's target to reach Net Zero emissions by 2030. By integrating commercial forestry with carbon offsetting, the project ensures that the trees store carbon during their growth cycle before being harvested for timber products, at which point the area is replanted to continue the sequestration cycle.