Carbon + Biodiversity project ID 1122

Carbon + Biodiversity project ID 1122 is an environmental planting project located at 'Beckworth Court', a historic pastoral property situated approximately 10km northwest of Clunes and 45km north of Ballarat in western Victoria. Registered on January 27, 2023, the project covers 58 hectares of land that was previously utilised for agricultural purposes. The property is owned by Paraway Pastoral Company, a major Australian agribusiness and subsidiary of Macquarie Asset Management, which acquired the station in 2016.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM methodology, a framework designed to sequester carbon by establishing permanent native forests. As indicated by its name, this project is a participant in the Australian Government's Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot, which incentivises farmers to plant mixed native species that provide biodiverse habitats alongside carbon abatement. Standard requirements for this methodology typically involve planting native trees and shrubs at densities sufficient to achieve forest canopy cover (often exceeding 200 to 400 stems per hectare) and maintaining the vegetation for at least 25 or 100 years.

The surrounding region of the Central Highlands and Western Districts is a premier agricultural area known for fine wool, prime lamb, and cattle production. The environment at Beckworth Court is characterised by rolling granite hills and alluvial flats, situated within a reliable rainfall zone that supports productive grazing. The soils are described as a fertile mix of volcanic basalt and granite-derived loams and clays, conditions that are highly favourable for the establishment and growth of the native environmental plantings.