Water Corporation Carbon Plantations

Water Corporation Carbon Plantations is a plantation forestry project located across sites near Boddington and Boyup Brook, approximately 120km to 270km southeast of Perth in Western Australia. It was registered in August 2021 and covers 2,056.48 hectares.

Plantation forestry projects involve sequestering carbon by establishing and maintaining a new plantation forest for the commercial harvesting of wood products, or by avoiding the conversion of an existing plantation to non-forested land. To achieve recognised forest cover, standard methodology requirements typically dictate planting trees at a minimum density of 200 stems per hectare, though commercial pine plantations are often planted at much higher densities to maximise timber yield.

The Boddington and Boyup Brook regions are known for extensive agricultural land use, primarily sheep and cattle grazing, alongside significant commercial forestry and mining operations. The environment is characterised by a Mediterranean climate with moderate to high winter rainfall, and the soils generally consist of lateritic gravels, sandy loams, and clay.

This project was established by the Western Australian state water utility, Water Corporation, as a critical part of its strategy to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. The proponent is planting nearly two million Radiata pines across the project sites, which are expected to sequester over 450,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over a 25-year period. Once mature, the plantation will be progressively harvested to supply a sustainable source of softwood timber for the state's building industry.