Western Treefarm Project phase 2 (WTP2)

Western Treefarm Project phase 2 (WTP2) is a plantation forestry project located across the local government areas of Boyup Brook and West Arthur, approximately 100km inland from the coastal city of Bunbury in Western Australia. It was registered in June 2024 and covers an initial area of 477.34 hectares.

Plantation forestry projects under the ACCU scheme involve establishing new plantations or transitioning existing short-rotation plantations to long-rotation ones for the commercial harvesting of wood products. Standard requirements for this methodology involve adhering to specific tree stocking densities, managing strict harvest cycles, and modeling the sequestered carbon, often using authorized tools like FullCAM to accurately measure biomass and account for emissions from forestry activities.

The Boyup Brook and West Arthur area is known for broad-hectare agriculture, including sheep grazing and cropping, alongside extensive commercial forestry and timber operations. The region experiences a Mediterranean climate and is considered a medium-to-high rainfall zone, typically receiving between 500mm and 700mm of winter-dominant rainfall annually. The environmental conditions are characterized by soils that are predominantly ironstone gravels, with loams and leached sands commonly found in the valley floors.

This project was set up by Mitsui & Co. Wood Resources Oceania Pty Ltd to sequester carbon by establishing and maintaining a new plantation forest for commercial harvesting. It forms part of a massive multi-phase roll-out by the proponent, which includes several "Western Treefarm" phases across the state. Beyond carbon abatement, the proponent notes that these plantations are designed to deliver broader environmental benefits, such as reducing soil salinity, increasing ecological connectivity, and providing vital habitats for native wildlife. On 23 July 2025, a variation was made to the project to add additional land into the operational area.