Melbourne Water Biodiverse Carbon Forest Pilot - Cardinia and Sugarloaf Catchments

Melbourne Water Biodiverse Carbon Forest Pilot - Cardinia and Sugarloaf Catchments is an environmental planting project located across two distinct water supply catchments on the fringes of Melbourne, Victoria. The project spans approximately 36.5 hectares and was registered in March 2024. The sites are situated near the Sugarloaf Reservoir in Christmas Hills, roughly 35km northeast of Melbourne's CBD, and the Cardinia Reservoir near Emerald, approximately 45km to the southeast.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings methodology. This involves establishing permanent plantings of mixed native species on land previously used for agriculture, such as grazing. The methodology requires the planting to achieve "forest cover" status, generally defined as reaching a height of at least 2 metres and a canopy cover of 20%, and must remain in place for up to 100 years to ensure permanent carbon sequestration.

Both project locations are situated in high-rainfall zones, ideal for rapid tree growth and catchment protection. The Sugarloaf area in the Nillumbik Shire typically features sedimentary soils with clay subsoils, while the Cardinia area, in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges, is known for deep, fertile red clay-loams (ferrosols) and high precipitation often exceeding 1000mm annually. These environments support lush vegetation, making them prime candidates for high-integrity carbon forestry.

An interesting aspect of this project is its designation as a "Pilot" by the Melbourne Water Corporation. This suggests it is a proof-of-concept initiative designed to test the viability of generating Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) on utility-owned land buffers. It directly supports Melbourne Water’s corporate goal of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2030, likely serving as an "insetting" mechanism where the organisation offsets its own operational emissions through land restoration on its own properties.