Orchidup Farm Carbon + Biodiversity Project ID R2-1509

Orchidup Farm Carbon + Biodiversity Project ID R2-1509 is an environmental planting project located approximately 7km north of the town of Walpole in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. Registered in June 2023, the project covers a small area of 9.06 hectares. The property, known as "Orchidup," has been in the proponent's family since the early 1930s and was historically established as a beef cattle farm, though it now also functions as a specialist orchid nursery.

The project operates under the Carbon + Biodiversity (C+B) Pilot, an Australian Government initiative designed to trial market arrangements for biodiversity. By using the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM methodology, the project involves establishing permanent native vegetation on land that was previously cleared for agriculture. Under the C+B Pilot protocols, these plantings are designed not only to sequester carbon but also to provide shelter for livestock and improve habitat connectivity for local wildlife.

Walpole is situated in one of the wettest and coolest climates in Western Australia, often referred to as the "high rainfall zone." The region is famous for its towering Karri and Tingle forests, suggesting the soil supports dense, high-biomass vegetation. The proponent, David Edmonds, is a noted local conservationist who has previously discovered new orchid species in the nearby Walpole-Nornalup National Park. This conservation background aligns with the project's dual focus on carbon abatement and biodiversity enhancement.