Australian Bluegum Plantations (ABP) Plantation Forestry Carbon Project #1

Australian Bluegum Plantations (ABP) Plantation Forestry Carbon Project #1 is a commercial forestry project located in the "Green Triangle" region of southwest Victoria. Registered in August 2024, the project spans approximately 1,567 hectares across the Glenelg and Southern Grampians local government areas. The specific project sites are dispersed throughout the region, situated near towns such as Hamilton, Casterton, and Port Fairy, approximately 300km west of Melbourne.

This project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022. It employs a hybrid approach: "avoided conversion," which involves maintaining existing plantations that were at risk of being cleared for agriculture, and "new establishment," which involves planting new forest areas. Unlike environmental plantings, these trees are established at commercial stocking densities with the intent of harvesting wood products, such as pulpwood for paper and rayon, while sequestering carbon in the biomass and long-term wood products.

The Green Triangle is one of Australia's premier forestry regions, characterized by its reliable high rainfall (typically exceeding 600mm annually) and fertile soils. The terrain often features basalt plains derived from ancient volcanic activity, alongside sandy loams and clays that support rapid tree growth. The land use in the surrounding area is a mix of intensive softwood and hardwood forestry, dairy farming, and livestock grazing.

Australian Bluegum Plantations (ABP), the project proponent, is a major forestry manager established by Global Forest Partners. They manage extensive Eucalyptus globulus (Tasmanian Bluegum) estates across Victoria and Western Australia. This carbon project helps ABP maintain its timber resource base in a competitive land market where converting plantations back to farmland is a common economic alternative. The project is developed in partnership with Climate Friendly Pty Ltd.