Lowe Carbon and Biodiversity Project

Lowe Carbon and Biodiversity Project is a plantation forestry project located in the Green Triangle region of western Victoria, approximately 55km north of Portland. It was registered in September 2026 and covers a project area of 223.40 hectares.

Operating under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Plantation Forestry) Methodology Determination 2022, this project type focuses on the avoided conversion of a plantation to non-forested land. Standard requirements mandate that a proponent must maintain an existing or recently harvested plantation forest that was otherwise at risk of being converted to agricultural use (such as pasture). The proponent must establish and maintain the trees at required stocking densities for the ongoing commercial harvesting of wood products, actively sequestering carbon as the trees grow.

The wider Green Triangle region is well known for its commercial timber operations, alongside traditional sheep and cattle grazing. This area experiences a temperate climate with moderate to high rainfall (typically 600-800 mm annually), creating ideal environmental conditions for rapid forestry growth. The regional soils generally feature sandy loams over clay subsoils, interspersed with fertile volcanic basalts.

An interesting note regarding the project proponent, Green Triangle Plantation Forest Company of Australia Pty Ltd (GPFL), is that it is an entity originally formed in 1997 and belongs to the Japanese Oji Group. GPFL specializes in cultivating Eucalyptus globulus (blue gum) on short rotations of approximately 20 years to produce hardwood chips for overseas export. By generating Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) through this 223.40-hectare project, the proponent ensures the land continues to act as a carbon sink and commercial forest, rather than reverting to non-forested agricultural land.