Wespine Carbon Plantations Two

Wespine Carbon Plantations Two is a plantation forestry project located in the South West region of Western Australia, with sites spread across the Shires of Dardanup, Donnybrook-Balingup, and Bridgetown-Greenbushes. The project areas are situated approximately 15 to 80 kilometers inland from the major port city of Bunbury. Registered in July 2021, the project covers a total area of approximately 251 hectares.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022. It involves two primary activities: establishing new plantation forests and converting existing plantations from short-rotation to long-rotation cycles. In this context, converting to a long-rotation cycle typically means shifting from growing trees for woodchips or pulp (harvested quickly) to growing sawlogs for structural timber (harvested after a longer period). This extension allows the trees to sequester carbon for a longer duration on the stump and stores carbon in long-lived wood products like housing frames after harvest.

The South West region is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. This area is considered a high rainfall zone, typically receiving between 650mm and 1200mm annually, which is essential for commercial Pinus radiata (Radiata Pine) growth. The soils in this region are predominantly lateritic gravels and sandy loams, often associated with the native Jarrah and Marri forests that historically occupied the area. These free-draining soils are well-suited for deep-rooting plantation softwoods.

Wespine Industries Pty Ltd, the project proponent, is a major softwood sawmiller based in Dardanup and is a joint venture between Wesfarmers and Fletcher Building. The timber processed by Wespine is largely used in the Western Australian housing construction market. The project has undergone several administrative variations since registration, including a migration to the updated 2022 methodology and multiple additions of land to the project area throughout 2023.