Chapmans Peak Schedule 4 Carbon Project 2025

Chapmans Peak Schedule 4 Carbon Project 2025 is a plantation forestry project located in the locality of Coaldale (Barretts Creek), approximately 44 kilometers northwest of Grafton in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Registered in August 2025, the project covers a substantial area of 664 hectares within the Clarence Valley local government area. The surrounding region is traditionally utilized for mixed agricultural purposes, specifically large-scale cattle grazing and timber production, often characterized by a mosaic of cleared pasture and native hardwood forests.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022, specifically utilizing "Schedule 4." This activity involves transitioning an existing plantation forest, which would otherwise be harvested and converted to non-forested land (such as pasture), into a permanent forest. By maintaining the trees indefinitely rather than clear-felling them for agricultural conversion, the project generates carbon credits. A critical requirement for this schedule is demonstrating that clearing the land for agriculture would have been a financially attractive alternative to retaining the forest, thereby proving the project's additionality.

Environmentally, the Coaldale region benefits from the high rainfall typical of the NSW North Coast, supporting vigorous vegetation growth. The specific property, known locally as "Chapmans Peak," is reported to feature a diverse soil profile comprising dark, grey, and sandy loams alongside fertile red basalt soils. This soil composition historically supported the property's dual capability for carrying cattle (estimated at 350-400 head) and sustaining plantation timber, primarily Blackbutt species. By locking in the plantation as permanent forest, the project likely enhances local biodiversity and soil stability in an area that adjoins the Chapmans Peak Nature Reserve.