Maslen Plantation

Maslen Plantation is a plantation forestry project located in the locality of Callaghans Creek, approximately 20 kilometers north of Gloucester in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales. Registered on November 30, 2023, the project covers a significant area of 453 hectares. The site is situated within the Barrington Coast hinterland, a region characterised by rolling hills, high rainfall, and lush vegetation, often supporting a mix of lifestyle properties, cattle grazing, and timber production.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022. Specifically, it engages in the "transition to permanent planting" activity. This involves taking an existing plantation forest, originally established for commercial harvest, and legally protecting it to grow indefinitely without clear-felling. By ceasing the harvest cycle, the trees continue to sequester carbon that would otherwise be released during logging and processing, generating Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) for the stored carbon.

The proponent, Nateva Australia (Acacia) Pty Limited, is a subsidiary of Nateva (formerly New Zealand Carbon Farming), a company specialising in regenerating marginal land into permanent forest. The project appears to be situated on or near land historically associated with the Maslen family, evidenced by local landmarks such as Maslen Road. The surrounding Gloucester and Barrington Tops area typically features heavy clay and loam soils (Kurosols and Ferrosols) which, combined with the subtropical, summer-dominant rainfall, create ideal conditions for rapid forest growth and high carbon sequestration rates.