AA2024R_LanesTierP_S3

AA2024R_LanesTierP_S3 is a plantation forestry project located at Lanes Tier, approximately 9km north of the town of Ouse in Tasmania's Derwent Valley. Registered on May 10, 2024, the project covers an area of roughly 170 hectares. The surrounding region is defined by a mix of forestry operations and agricultural land use, specifically grazing and cropping on arable tracts often interspersed with native bushland.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022. Specifically, it utilizes "Schedule 3" of the methodology, which focuses on "avoided conversion." This activity involves maintaining an existing plantation forest that was at risk of being converted to a non-forested land use, such as pasture for agriculture. By committing to continue the plantation cycle for commercial harvest rather than clearing the land for other uses, the project generates carbon credits based on the carbon stored in the trees and wood products.

Environmentally, the Ouse region sits in a rain shadow relative to Tasmania's western highlands, experiencing a cool-temperate climate with a mean annual rainfall of approximately 520mm. The terrain at Lanes Tier is characterized by undulating arable farmland and sandstone features, suggesting the presence of sandstone-derived or podzolic soils which are common in the Derwent Valley.

An interesting facet of this project is its proponent structure; "The Trust Company (Australia) Limited as trustee for The Tasmanian Carbon Afforestation Sub-Trust" typically acts as a custodian for investment funds managed by major forestry investors like New Forests. The project is managed by SFM Environmental Solutions, a Tasmanian-based certified forest manager. The registration date aligns closely with the sale of a significant property on Lanes Tier Road in May 2024, suggesting the carbon project was a key component of the land's acquisition and management strategy.