Isabella Plantation Partnership

Isabella Plantation Partnership is a commercial plantation forestry project located in the locality of Isabella, approximately 35km south of Oberon in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales. Registered in July 2022, the project covers a substantial area of 700.57 hectares. The site is situated within a region heavily utilized for forestry operations, specifically radiata pine plantations, and grazing, capitalizing on the proximity to major timber processing facilities in nearby Oberon.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022. This methodology credits the carbon sequestered in trees established for commercial timber production. Unlike environmental plantings which are permanent conservation forests, plantation forestry projects allow for the commercial harvesting of wood products. Carbon credits (ACCUs) are generated based on the long-term average carbon stocks of the plantation, accounting for the cyclical growth and harvest periods.

Environmentally, the Isabella region is characterized by a cool temperate climate with a high rainfall classification, typically exceeding 800mm annually, which is ideal for rapid softwood growth. The terrain is generally hilly to mountainous, featuring soils often derived from ancient granite or sedimentary rock, ranging from loams to clay textures that support dense vegetation.

A notable aspect of this partnership is the collaboration between financial investors and forestry experts. The proponents, Nois Pty Limited and Platypus Investments Pty Limited, act as trustees for investment trusts, while the project is managed by PF Olsen (Aus) Pty Limited. PF Olsen is one of Australia's largest independent forestry service providers, suggesting a professional, high-yield management strategy for the plantation.