'Lenah2025R_Styx_S3

Lenah2025R_Styx_S3 is a plantation forestry project located in the Derwent Valley region of Tasmania, roughly 20km west of the regional town of New Norfolk. It was registered in August 2025, and while the exact project area size is currently unknown, a variation in July 2026 removed some initially listed areas from the project's scope. The broader Derwent Valley region is known for diverse land uses, prominently featuring native and plantation forestry, sheep grazing, and horticulture such as hops and viticulture.

Projects operating under the Plantation Forestry Methodology Determination 2022 involve establishing new plantation forests, converting short-rotation plantations to long-rotation cycles, or continuing existing plantations. A standard requirement of this method is that the plantation must be actively maintained and managed for the commercial harvesting of wood products. This specific project sequesters carbon by avoiding the conversion of an existing or harvested plantation to non-forested land, ensuring it continues as an active commercial forest.

The Derwent Valley experiences a cool maritime climate with moderate to low typical rainfall, making its lower catchment one of Tasmania's drier agricultural regions. Soil types across the valley floor and undulating hills vary considerably, typically featuring fertile alluvial soils near the rivers, which transition to well-drained gravelly soils, acidic sand Podosols, and Triassic sandstone-derived soils on the slopes.

The project is run by Lenah Estate Pty Ltd, with SFM Environmental Solutions acting as the project agent. An interesting local aspect of the Lenah Estate pine and eucalypt plantations in the Derwent Valley is that some areas, particularly along Jefferys Track, have historically faced issues with severe antisocial behaviour. Council reports have noted illegal off-track 4WD activities, dumped cars, and rubbish leading to heavy localized soil erosion. Continuing these plantations under an active carbon project helps maintain land management oversight and prevents the degraded sites from permanent conversion to non-forested land.