Eltham Springs project

Eltham Springs project is a permanent environmental planting initiative located on the "Eltham Springs" property near the village of Clunes, approximately 15 kilometers northeast of Lismore in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Registered on May 27, 2022, the project falls under the jurisdiction of the Lismore City Council. The project area covers 78 hectares of land that was historically part of the "Big Scrub" subtropical rainforest but was subsequently cleared for agricultural use, specifically cattle grazing and dairy.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM methodology. This involves establishing permanent plantings of native tree species on land that has been used for agriculture for at least five years prior to commencement. The specific goal of this project is to sequester carbon by regenerating native forest cover. Real estate listings for the property indicate a strong focus on creating "koala-friendly" habitat, integrating conservation efforts with ongoing viable cattle farming on the remainder of the estate.

The Eltham and Clunes region is characterized by a humid subtropical climate with high rainfall, averaging over 1,300mm annually, which provides ideal conditions for rapid biomass accumulation. The local terrain typically features fertile, volcanic red basalt soils (krasnozems), which are highly productive and common in the area due to the ancient Mount Warning shield volcano. The project is designed to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) over a 25-year crediting period, with a permanence obligation of 100 years, ensuring the forest cover is maintained well into the next century.