Western Treefarm Project Phase 1A (WTP1A)

Western Treefarm Project Phase 1A (WTP1A) is a plantation forestry project located near the locality of Grimwade, approximately 25km south of Collie and 55km inland from Bunbury in Western Australia. Registered in August 2024, the project covers roughly 715 hectares of commercial timberland. The surrounding region, situated within the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup, is heavily forested and traditionally utilized for state forestry, timber plantations, and some grazing.

The project operates under the Plantation Forestry methodology, specifically utilizing the "conversion from short-rotation to long-rotation" activity. This involves transitioning plantation management from crops harvested frequently for lower-value products (like woodchips, typically on 10-15 year cycles) to longer-growing species or regimes intended for high-value timber (like sawlogs, on 25+ year cycles). By extending the growth period, the trees sequester carbon for a longer duration before harvest, and the resulting wood products store carbon for decades.

Environmentally, the Grimwade region experiences a high-rainfall Mediterranean climate, with annual rainfall often exceeding 800mm, supporting dense Jarrah and Marri forests. The soils in this area are typically iron-rich lateritic gravels and sandy loams, which are well-suited for forestry operations.

The project proponent, Mitsui & Co. Wood Resources Oceania Pty Ltd (MWO), is a subsidiary of the major Japanese trading house Mitsui & Co. MWO has a significant footprint in the Australian timber industry, managing the Bunbury Chip Mill and extensive plantation assets. This project appears to be part of MWO's broader strategy to diversify from pure woodchip exports into carbon farming and sustainable timber production.