Land Connection Program at Milford Road

The Land Connection Program at Milford Road is an environmental planting project located in the Strzelecki Ranges of South Gippsland, Victoria. The project site is situated approximately 15 kilometers south of the township of Mirboo North and west of Dumbalk. Registered in January 2024, the project encompasses roughly 115 hectares of land that was historically cleared for agricultural use.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings methodology. This involves establishing permanent native vegetation on land that has been clear of forest cover for at least five years. The methodology generally requires planting species native to the local area at a density sufficient to achieve forest canopy cover, typically a minimum of 200 stems per hectare, simulating a natural forest ecosystem. This specific project focuses on a mixed-species planting approach to restore biodiversity while sequestering carbon.

Environmentally, the South Gippsland region is characterized by a high-rainfall climate, with average annual precipitation often exceeding 900mm, supporting lush vegetation. The area is renowned for its fertile red volcanic soils (Ferrosols) and clay loams, which traditionally support intensive dairy farming, beef grazing, and commercial forestry plantations. The transition of this specific site from agricultural use to permanent conservation forest highlights a growing trend in the region to utilize steep or marginal grazing land for carbon abatement and ecological restoration.