Lucinda Environmental Planting Project

Lucinda Environmental Planting Project is a reforestation initiative located in the Woodstock hinterland, approximately 4 kilometers northwest of the township of Milton on the New South Wales South Coast. Registered in August 2024, the project covers 40 hectares of land previously utilized for agriculture. The Milton-Ulladulla region is traditionally known for dairy farming, grazing, and forestry, benefiting from fertile soils and a mild coastal climate.

The project operates under the Environmental Planting methodology, which involves establishing permanent native forests on land that has been clear of forest cover for at least five years. To generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), the project must plant mixed native species, typically sourced from local provenance, at a density sufficient to achieve forest canopy cover (generally at least 200 stems per hectare). This approach creates a carbon sink while simultaneously improving local biodiversity and soil stability.

The project area is situated in a high-rainfall zone, with the nearby Ulladulla weather station recording average annual precipitation exceeding 1,200mm. The region is geologically distinct due to the presence of the Milton Monzonite, an igneous rock formation that produces deep, fertile soils capable of supporting dense vegetation, including the endangered Milton Ulladulla Subtropical Rainforest. Interestingly, the project proponents, Darren Roso and Marjo Rauhala, appear to have a professional background in conservation and ecology, having been cited in government reports regarding surveys for threatened reptile species such as the Pink-tailed Worm-lizard. This suggests the project is driven by strong ecological restoration values alongside carbon sequestration goals.