AA2025R_BowdenL_S3

AA2025R_BowdenL_S3 is a plantation forestry project located in the Southern Midlands local government area of Tasmania, near the historic town of Oatlands. It was registered in February 2025 and initially covered an area of 45.58 hectares.

Plantation forestry projects operating under the 2022 methodology involve establishing new plantation forests, converting short-rotation plantations to long-rotation ones, or avoiding the conversion of existing plantations to non-forested land. Standard requirements dictate that these projects must maintain viable tree stocking densities, ensure sustained forest cover, and actively manage the trees for ongoing growth and the commercial harvesting of wood products.

The Southern Midlands region surrounding Oatlands is historically known for traditional sheep and beef cattle grazing, broadacre agriculture, and widespread commercial forestry operations. The area experiences a cool temperate, maritime climate but sits in the rain shadow of the central highlands, resulting in a relatively low annual rainfall of approximately 550mm to 600mm. Local soils are variable but typically consist of podzolic soils derived from sandstone, alongside sodic and alluvial soils.

This specific project sequesters carbon by avoiding the conversion of an existing or recently harvested plantation forest to non-forested land, such as agricultural pasture, by instead continuing the plantation lifecycle. In July 2026, a variation was officially made to the project boundary, removing some areas originally listed within the project area. The project is managed by SFM Environmental Solutions Pty Ltd, acting as the agent for the project proponent, The Trust Company (Australia) Limited as trustee for The Tasmanian Carbon Afforestation Sub-Trust. Through initiatives like the "ActivAcre" program, SFM and the sub-trust actively assist landowners in integrating commercial timber species onto underutilised sections of agricultural land, providing vital shelterbelts and supplementary farm income while driving national long-term carbon sequestration efforts.