Oaks Environmental Plantings Project

The Oaks Environmental Plantings Project is an environmental planting project located in the Lithgow Local Government Area, approximately 45km north-east of Bathurst in New South Wales. Registered on May 13, 2025, the project covers a substantial area of 524.5 hectares. The site is situated in the Central Tablelands region, an area traditionally utilized for sheep and cattle grazing as well as forestry.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings, FullCAM) Methodology Determination 2024. This method is a successor to the widely used 2014 determination and requires the establishment of permanent native forests using species local to the area. Key updates in the 2024 method include allowances for limited commercial seed harvesting and clearer provisions for biodiversity "infill" planting. The carbon abatement is calculated using the Full Carbon Accounting Model (FullCAM), which estimates biomass density based on the specific location and management activities.

Environmentally, the region experiences a temperate climate with cool winters and warm summers. Rainfall is generally moderate, averaging between 600mm and 800mm annually, supporting the mixed eucalypt and shrub woodlands typical of the area. Soils in this rugged part of the tablelands are often skeletal or loamy, derived from sedimentary or granitic rock, requiring careful species selection to ensure high survival rates in the planting's early years.

A notable aspect of this project is its proponent, InfraEnergy Solutions Pty Limited, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the APA Group, a major Australian energy infrastructure business. This suggests the project may be part of a broader corporate offsetting strategy to mitigate emissions from energy assets. The project also engages Tucker Environmental Pty Ltd, a specialist consultancy focused on soil health and biodiversity, ensuring the planting design optimizes ecological outcomes alongside carbon sequestration.