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

Australian Bluegum Plantations (ABP) Plantation Forestry Carbon Project #1 is a commercial plantation forestry project located across multiple sites in the Green Triangle region of South West Victoria. The project area spans approximately 1,567 hectares, with sites dispersed near the regional hubs of Hamilton and Portland. Registered in August 2024, the project is managed by Australian Bluegum Plantations Pty Limited, a major hardwood estate manager in the region, with support from carbon service provider Climate Friendly.

The project operates under the Plantation Forestry methodology (2022), which integrates carbon sequestration with commercial timber production. Unlike environmental planting projects where trees are permanent, this method allows for the harvesting and selling of wood products, such as woodchips for paper manufacturing. Credits are generated through two primary activities: establishing new plantation forests on land previously used for agriculture (Schedule 1) and avoiding the conversion of existing plantations back into non-forested land, such as pasture (Schedule 2).

The Green Triangle region is one of Australia's premier forestry zones, characterized by reliable high rainfall (typically exceeding 600mm annually) and fertile soils ranging from volcanic basalt plains to sandy loams. These conditions are ideal for Eucalyptus globulus (Tasmanian Blue Gum), the primary species cultivated by ABP. The region is a patchwork of land uses, primarily intensive sheep and cattle grazing alongside extensive hardwood and softwood plantations.

A key aspect of this project is its focus on "avoided conversion," which suggests a strategic decision to maintain forestry operations on land that might otherwise have been reverted to agriculture due to high farmland values. By committing to replant or maintain these forests, the proponent ensures continued carbon storage in the landscape while sustaining the supply of renewable timber products.