Tralee Environmental Plantings Project

The Tralee Environmental Plantings Project is a carbon sequestration initiative located approximately 15 kilometers south of Stratford in the Wellington Shire region of Victoria. Registered on August 8, 2024, the project covers 198.24 hectares of land near the confluence of the Avon and Perry Rivers, close to the shores of Lake Wellington. The project is situated in the Central Gippsland region, an area traditionally utilized for dryland grazing and irrigated agriculture.

This project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM methodology. This method involves establishing permanent forest cover using a mix of native tree and shrub species on land that has been clear of forest for at least five years. The primary objective is to store carbon in the growing biomass. As an environmental planting, the trees are not intended for harvest; instead, they are maintained to achieve specific canopy cover and height requirements, enhancing local biodiversity and potentially providing shelter for livestock.

The environment in this part of Gippsland typically experiences moderate annual rainfall, averaging around 600mm to 700mm. The soils in the Perry Bridge and Stratford vicinity are generally characterized as alluvial sandy loams or clay loams, which are fertile but can be prone to wind erosion if vegetation cover is low, making this reforestation effort ecologically beneficial. The project is managed with the assistance of Scott McArdle, a Gippsland-based consultant associated with Nexsys Industries Consulting, who specializes in regional sustainable development and carbon offsetting.