GT Carbon Project 1

GT Carbon Project 1 is a plantation forestry project located in the "Green Triangle" region, a major forestry hub spanning the border of South Australia and Victoria. The project sites are dispersed across the Limestone Coast, specifically within the Grant, Naracoorte Lucindale, and Wattle Range local government areas. The specific coordinates place the project activity near the regional center of Mount Gambier and the town of Penola.

Registered in September 2023, the project initially covered approximately 299 hectares. It operates under the Plantation Forestry methodology, specifically utilizing the "avoided conversion" activity. This involves a commitment by the proponent, Mitsui & Co. Wood Resources Oceania, to maintain plantation forests that were otherwise scheduled to be converted into non-forested land (such as for grazing or cropping) after harvest. Instead, the land is replanted and maintained as a commercial forest, sequestering carbon in the growing trees and wood products.

The Green Triangle region is renowned for its ideal forestry conditions, characterized by reliable high rainfall and deep, well-drained soils, including sandy loams and the distinctive terra rossa soils over limestone. These conditions support the extensive radiata pine and blue gum plantations that dominate the local landscape alongside cattle grazing and agriculture.

An interesting note is that the project has expanded since its initial registration, with a variation in May 2025 adding further area to the project. The proponent, Mitsui & Co. Wood Resources Oceania (MWO), is a subsidiary of the Japanese trading giant Mitsui & Co., and has been a significant player in the region's woodchip and export industry since the mid-1990s.