Carbon Project 1 - MRF

Carbon Project 1 - MRF is a plantation forestry project located in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales. The project area is split across two distinct locations: one site is situated approximately 20km northwest of Tumbarumba near Rosewood, and the other lies roughly 15km northeast of Holbrook. Registered in September 2023, the project covers a total area of 675.72 hectares.

The region is a hub for softwoods and agriculture, characterised by a mix of pine plantations and cattle grazing. The project operates under the Plantation Forestry methodology, specifically focusing on "avoided conversion." This activity involves committing to replant and maintain a plantation forest for another rotation of commercial harvesting, rather than converting the land to non-forested agricultural use, such as grazing, after the previous harvest. By legally protecting the forest land use, the project generates credits for the carbon stored in the trees that would otherwise have been cleared.

Environmental conditions in this area are ideal for Pinus radiata (radiata pine). Tumbarumba benefits from a cool temperate climate and high average rainfall, often exceeding 900mm annually, while Holbrook receives slightly less but remains productive for forestry and farming. The soils are typically acidic granitic loams and red clay loams, which support deep rooting depths required for commercial timber.

A significant aspect of this project is its management by New Forests, a major global forestry investment manager. The proponent, Murray River Forests Pty Ltd, was previously identified as a trustee for the Australia New Zealand Forest Fund 2 (ANZFF2). Murray River Forests is a substantial pine estate supplying sawlogs to local processors like Hyne Timber and pulp logs to Norske Skog. The registration of this carbon project likely serves to valorise the carbon stored in the estate, ensuring the land remains forested despite potential economic incentives to convert it to farmland.