FPC 2023 CP1

FPC 2023 CP1 is a plantation forestry project located in the South West region of Western Australia, with project areas situated near the towns of Nannup and Donnybrook, roughly 260km south of Perth. Registered in October 2023, the project covers approximately 554 hectares. The surrounding region is the heart of Western Australia’s timber industry, featuring a mix of native Jarrah/Karri forests, commercial pine plantations, and agricultural land used for cattle grazing and fruit orchards.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative-Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022. This methodology allows proponents to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by establishing new plantations or changing the management of existing ones to increase carbon storage. Specifically, this project involves both establishing new plantation forests and converting existing short-rotation plantations (typically harvested quickly for woodchips) into long-rotation plantations (grown for decades to produce sawlogs). This shift significantly extends the duration carbon is stored in the trees and transfers it into long-term wood products like construction timber.

Environmentally, the project is situated in a high-rainfall zone characterized by a Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and dry summers. The area typically receives annual rainfall exceeding 900mm, which is essential for supporting commercial Pinus radiata (softwood) growth. The soils in this region are predominantly lateritic gravels and loamy duplex soils (loam over clay), which are well-drained and highly suitable for forestry operations.

An interesting aspect of this project is its proponent, the Forest Products Commission (FPC), which is the Western Australian government's statutory authority for forestry. This project appears to be part of the state government's $350 million "Softwood Plantation Investment Program," announced to expand the state's pine estate and support the WA Climate Policy's net-zero targets. The variation of the project name from "FPC Carbon Project 2" to "FPC 2023 CP1" likely reflects an administrative alignment with the commission's 2023 planting cohort.