Emu Flat Planting Project No.2

Emu Flat Planting Project No.2 is an environmental planting initiative located in the rural locality of Emu Flat, approximately 15 kilometers southeast of Tooborac and 85 kilometers north of Melbourne, Victoria. Registered in September 2023, the project covers 14.55 hectares of land previously utilized for agriculture. The project is managed by Fitzgerald Legge Pty Ltd, with James Legge listed as a participant, suggesting a private landholder or family trust structure.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings methodology (2014). This involves establishing permanent native vegetation on land that has been clear of forest for at least five years. To generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), the planting must be established at a density sufficient to reach "forest cover" status, which generally requires a minimum stocking density of 200 stems per hectare and the potential to reach two meters in height with 20% canopy closure. Carbon abatement is calculated using the Full Carbon Accounting Model (FullCAM) rather than direct field measurements.

Regionally, the Emu Flat and Tooborac area is historically dominated by grazing (sheep and cattle) and mixed farming. The environment is characterized by a temperate climate with moderate rainfall, averaging between 550mm and 700mm annually. The local geology is distinct, often featuring granitic outcrops known as the Tooborac Granites; consequently, soils in the area are typically granitic sandy loams or texture-contrast soils (Chromosols) consisting of loam over clay. These soil types are prone to erosion when cleared, making environmental revegetation highly beneficial for land management as well as carbon sequestration.

This project appears to be the second stage of a broader revegetation effort, implied by the "No.2" designation. By converting marginal or ex-agricultural land back to native mixed-species forest, the project aims to improve biodiversity and provide shelter for livestock while generating carbon offsets.