Projects under these methods capture carbon by permanently planting native trees to establish forest cover. The method uses the Full Carbon Accounting Model (FullCAM) to work out the carbon captured by the growing trees, shrubs and debris (dead plant material). The net amount of abatement during a project’s reporting period is then determined by subtracting emissions due to fires and fuel use from the amount of carbon stock.

The Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM) Methodology Determination 2014 was made on 9 September 2014. A variation introducing minor changes to the method had effect on 1 July 2015. The method and explanatory statement linked below set out the legislative requirements for participating projects:

• Read the Method (with variation incorporated)
• Read the Explanatory Statement

Projects are subject to permanence obligations. This means the project must be maintained for a nominated period of either 100 or 25 years.

Projects need to meet the following requirements to be eligible under this method:

• The plantings must include tree or mallee species native to the local area.
• Mallee species must only be planted where annual rainfall is under 600 mm.
• The project area must have been clear of forest cover for at least five years prior to project commencement.
• The plantings must have the potential to reach forest cover (20 per cent crown cover consisting of trees that are at least two metres tall).
• The trees may not be harvested except for in very limited circumstances such as hazard reduction.
• Tree products such as firewood, fruits and nuts cannot be commercially harvested from the planting.
• If the land has been lawfully cleared in the past, it must have occurred more than seven years ago, or five years ago if the land was cleared by previous holders.
• Projects cannot be established on land that has been cleared unlawfully.