Paradise EMP Pilot

Paradise EMP Pilot is an environmental planting project located in the Wide Bay-Burnett region of Queensland, approximately 25km south of Bundaberg and near the town of Childers. Registered in September 2024, the project covers nearly 115 hectares of land that was previously used for agriculture.

The project is managed by Climate Asset Management (CAM), a joint venture between HSBC Asset Management and the climate advisory firm Pollination. Public reports indicate that CAM purchased approximately 1,800 hectares of former sugarcane farmland in the Bundaberg region with the intention of converting it into a high-value macadamia orchard. This 115-hectare carbon project likely represents a dedicated conservation or biodiversity component within that larger agricultural aggregation, designed to revegetate non-productive areas or establish shelterbelts.

The surrounding region is a major agricultural hub, historically dominated by sugarcane cultivation and grazing, but increasingly transitioning to horticulture such as macadamias and avocados. The environment is characterized by a subtropical climate with high rainfall and fertile soils, often red volcanic (krasnozem) or alluvial types ideal for intensive cropping.

The project operates under the Environmental Plantings methodology, which involves establishing permanent mixed-species native vegetation on land that has been clear of forest for at least five years. The goal is to sequester carbon by growing a new forest, typically requiring a stocking density of at least 200 stems per hectare to achieve "forest cover" status. By integrating this carbon sink into a commercial orchard property, the project demonstrates a "natural capital" approach, combining intensive agriculture with ecological restoration.