Wespine Carbon Plantations Three

Wespine Carbon Plantations Three is a plantation forestry project located in the Bridgetown-Greenbushes local government area, roughly 10km southwest of Bridgetown in Western Australia. It was registered in December 2023 and covers an area of 39.94 ha.

Plantation forestry projects involve generating carbon credits by establishing new plantations, converting short-rotation plantations to long-rotation forests, or avoiding the conversion of existing plantations to non-forested land. Standard requirements dictate planting and maintaining commercial tree species at sufficient stocking densities (often around 1,400 stems per hectare for radiata pine) to achieve a forested canopy, while managing the stand for commercial timber harvesting.

The Bridgetown-Greenbushes region is widely known for agriculture, sheep and cattle grazing, and extensive commercial forestry operations. The area experiences a Mediterranean climate typically classified as high winter rainfall, and the regional soils generally consist of lateritic gravels, loamy earths, and sandy loams over clay.

The project proponent, Wespine Industries Pty Ltd, is a major Western Australian softwood sawmiller jointly owned by Wesfarmers Limited and Fletcher Building Limited. This specific project sequesters carbon by avoiding the conversion of a previously harvested plantation to non-forested land; instead, the land is replanted and actively maintained as a new plantation forest for the commercial harvesting of wood products. Wespine specializes in Pinus radiata (radiata pine) timber, and their plantations are strictly managed on a sustainable 30-year rotation. Continuing these forestry operations not only absorbs atmospheric carbon but also helps filter groundwater, control soil salinity and erosion, and secure long-term employment for the regional timber industry.