Sustainable Timber Tasmania ERF Project two - conversion of 1,000 ha of plantation.

Sustainable Timber Tasmania ERF Project two is a dispersed plantation forestry project located across several key timber-growing regions in Tasmania. The project area comprises multiple distinct coupes, with significant clusters situated near the southern town of Geeveston, the northeastern town of Scottsdale, and the northwestern area near Deloraine and Wynyard. Registered in October 2022, the project currently covers approximately 753 hectares, following a variation in February 2025 that amended the eligible area.

The project operates under the Plantation Forestry methodology, specifically utilizing the "short-rotation to long-rotation" conversion activity. This involves altering the management schedule of existing plantations, typically established for short-term pulpwood or woodchip production, to allow the trees to grow for a longer period, yielding high-quality sawlogs. By extending the harvest age (rotation length), the average carbon stock within the forest is increased over time compared to the baseline scenario. These plantations are maintained at commercial stocking densities, typically starting high and undergoing thinning events to promote sawlog development.

The regions hosting these coupes are characterized by Tasmania's cool temperate climate, receiving high reliable rainfall which is ideal for rapid tree growth. The landscape consists of existing commercial forestry estates, often situated on fertile Ferrosols (red volcanic soils) in the north and Podzols or Dermosols in the south. These soil types are deep and free-draining, supporting the intensive growth required for commercial timber.

This project represents a continuation of Sustainable Timber Tasmania's (a Government Business Enterprise) efforts to monetize carbon sequestration within its permanent timber production zones. The "Project two" designation implies it sits alongside an earlier portfolio of converted plantations. By shifting focus to long-rotation sawlogs, the project not only generates carbon credits but also aims to supply structural timber for the construction industry, where carbon can be stored in the built environment long after harvest.