FPC 2023 CP1

FPC 2023 CP1 is a plantation forestry project located in the South West region of Western Australia, with the project areas situated approximately 6km from Nannup and extending towards the Greenbushes area. It was registered in October 2023 and covers an area of 554.49 hectares. The surrounding region is predominantly known for extensive commercial forestry operations, as well as agricultural land uses such as cattle grazing and cropping. This part of Western Australia experiences a Mediterranean climate characterized by high winter rainfall, and the soils are generally composed of lateritic gravels, sandy loams, and clays typical of the region's native forest and agricultural zones.

Plantation forestry projects under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) scheme involve establishing new plantation forests, converting short-rotation plantations to long-rotation plantations, or maintaining existing plantations for commercial harvesting. Standard requirements for this methodology dictate that the project must be managed in accordance with a recognized forest management plan, and the trees must have the potential to reach a minimum height of two meters and provide at least 20% crown cover.

This specific project sequesters carbon through two main activities: establishing and maintaining a new plantation forest for the commercial harvesting of wood products, and converting an existing short-rotation plantation to a long-rotation one. Originally registered under the name "FPC Carbon Project 2", the project underwent an official name variation on September 3, 2024, to FPC 2023 CP1. The project proponent, the Forest Products Commission (FPC), is a Western Australian Government entity. This project is a key part of the state's broader $350 million Softwood Plantation Investment Program, a government initiative designed to expand WA's softwood estate, secure domestic timber supplies for the housing and construction industry, and contribute significantly to climate change mitigation through large-scale carbon sequestration.