AA2024R_LanesTierP_S3

AA2024R_LanesTierP_S3 is a plantation forestry project located at Lanes Tier near the rural town of Ouse, approximately 90km northwest of Hobart in the Central Highlands of Tasmania. It was registered in May 2024 and covers an area of 169.74 hectares.

Plantation forestry projects operating under the 2022 methodology generate carbon credits by establishing new plantations, converting short-rotation plantations to long-rotation ones, or avoiding the conversion of existing plantations to non-forested land. This specific project focuses on avoided conversion, maintaining an existing plantation forest that was originally established under another method. Standard methodology requirements for this activity dictate that the land must not revert to agricultural pasture or non-forested land, must maintain a commercially viable tree stocking density, and must be actively managed for the ongoing, sustainable commercial harvesting of wood products.

The surrounding Central Highlands region is traditionally known for a mix of broadacre agriculture, sheep and cattle grazing, and commercial timber production. Situated in a rain shadow, the Ouse area experiences a cool-temperate climate with relatively low to moderate rainfall for Tasmania, often averaging around 500-600mm annually. Local soils in the region are variable but generally feature dolerite-derived profiles, basalt, broken shale, podzols, and clay loams.

An interesting note about this project is that it is managed by SFM Environmental Solutions acting as the agent for the proponent, The Trust Company (Australia) Limited (acting as trustee for The Tasmanian Carbon Afforestation Sub-Trust). This sub-trust is highly active in expanding commercial forestry in Tasmania, frequently partnering with government grant initiatives to help landholders integrate timber production on underutilised agricultural land. The Lanes Tier area is also subject to natural landscape risks; in early 2024, significant bushfires swept through the district, requiring over 150 firefighters and dozens of aircraft to contain the blazes across thousands of hectares.