FIT WA 2026 Carbon Project

FIT WA 2026 Carbon Project is a plantation forestry initiative located across the Great Southern region of Western Australia. The project's aggregate area of approximately 1,436 hectares is dispersed across several properties near the towns of Kojonup, Cranbrook, and Jerramungup, with the furthest sites lying roughly 100 to 150 kilometers north and northeast of the major port city of Albany. Registered in September 2025, the project is a significant addition to the region's established forestry estate.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022. It combines two distinct activities: establishing new plantation forests on land that has been clear of trees for at least seven years, and converting existing short-rotation plantations (typically harvested for woodchips) into long-rotation forests (managed for sawlogs). By extending the rotation period or planting new trees, the project increases the average carbon stock on the land over time.

The Great Southern region is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Rainfall in the project vicinity generally ranges between 450mm and 650mm annually, which is the transitional zone suitable for both cropping and forestry. The soils are typically duplex sandy loams and lateritic gravels, well-suited for Pinus radiata (softwood) or Eucalyptus globulus (blue gum), which are the dominant commercial species in the area.

A notable aspect of this project is its proponent structure. The project is owned by the Forestry Investment Trust (FIT), which is managed by New Forests, a global investment manager specializing in nature-based real assets and sustainable forestry. The project is operationally managed by PF Olsen (Aus) Pty Limited, a prominent forestry services provider. Additionally, the Forestry Investment Trust has been identified as a recipient of federal funding under the "Support Plantation Establishment" program, which incentivizes the development of new long-rotation timber resources to meet Australia's future wood demand.