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 area spans approximately 2,087 hectares, with key sites situated near the town of Boddington, roughly 120km southeast of Perth, and further south near Boyup Brook and Donnybrook. Registered in August 2021, the project is a major initiative by the Water Corporation (Western Australia's state-owned water utility) to offset its operational emissions.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022. This methodology credits the carbon sequestered by establishing new plantation forests or converting short-rotation plantations to long-rotation. In this specific instance, the project involves establishing over 1,400 hectares of Radiata Pine (softwood) for commercial timber harvesting. By creating new timber resources on land previously used for other purposes (such as grazing), the project generates carbon credits while providing a future sustainable wood supply for the construction industry.

The South West timber belt region is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with distinct wet winters and dry summers. The area is historically significant for forestry and agriculture due to its high rainfall classification and productive soil profiles, which typically feature lateritic gravels, clays, and loamy earths suitable for deep-rooted trees.

A notable aspect of this project is its partnership model; while the Water Corporation is the proponent, the planting and management are delivered in partnership with the Forest Products Commission (FPC). This collaboration supports the Water Corporation's target of reaching net-zero emissions by 2035, with the trees expected to sequester approximately 450,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over 25 years.