Western Treefarm Project phase 1

Western Treefarm Project phase 1 is a plantation forestry project located in the South West region of Western Australia, approximately 40km southeast of the coal-mining town of Collie and 20km north of Boyup Brook. Registered on February 24, 2022, the project covers approximately 1,865 hectares across the Shires of Boyup Brook and West Arthur. This region is a significant hub for Western Australia's timber industry, featuring a mix of native jarrah forests, commercial blue gum and pine plantations, and broadacre grazing land.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022. Specifically, it engages in the "conversion from a short-rotation to long-rotation plantation forest" activity. This involves altering the management of an existing plantation, typically established for short-term woodchip or pulp production, to a regime where trees are grown for a longer period to produce higher-quality sawlogs. By extending the rotation period, the project increases the amount of carbon stored in the trees and soil over time. It also shifts the output toward long-lived wood products (like construction timber) which store carbon for decades, as opposed to short-lived paper products.

Environmental conditions in this area are characterized by a Mediterranean climate, featuring cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. The region typically receives medium-to-high rainfall (approximately 600–700mm annually), which is essential for supporting viable commercial forestry. The soils are generally ancient and weathered, consisting largely of lateritic gravels, sandy loams, and clays typical of the Darling Plateau.

The project is managed by Mitsui & Co. Wood Resources Oceania Pty Ltd (MWO), a subsidiary of the major Japanese trading house Mitsui & Co. Historically focused on woodchip processing and export, MWO has diversified into carbon farming to generate high-integrity Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). Since its registration, the project has undergone multiple variations to amend and add plantation areas, indicating an active expansion of the carbon estate. MWO manages approximately 5,000 hectares of plantation assets in the region, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).