Mopone Native Forest Protection Project

Mopone Native Forest Protection Project is an Avoided Deforestation project located in the Cobar local government area, approximately 15 to 20km northwest of the town of Cobar in central-western New South Wales. It was registered in May 2014 and covers an area of 5,087.60 hectares.

Avoided Deforestation projects involve protecting native forests from being cleared and converted into agricultural systems. To meet standard methodology requirements, the land must have been issued a valid land-clearing permit before 1 July 2010. By preventing this clearing, the project avoids greenhouse gas emissions that would have otherwise occurred. The carbon stock of the protected area is calculated by applying allometric equations to tree measurements collected through regular biomass surveys.

The Cobar region is characterised by a semi-arid climate with hot, dry summers, low and variable rainfall (averaging 400-520mm annually), and high evaporation rates. The local environment predominantly features red Chromosols, grey and brown Vertosols, and hard red earth soil types. Regional land use is heavily driven by pastoral agriculture, particularly extensive sheep and feral goat grazing, alongside historically significant and active mining operations.

The project is operated by proponent Robert Malcolm Neate, with Terra Carbon Pty Limited acting as an agent. According to the Clean Energy Regulator's register, the project has been highly active, having already been issued over 92,000 Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). An interesting note on the project's history is that it varied its method on 13 May 2015, transitioning from the 2013 Avoided Deforestation determination to the updated Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Avoided Deforestation 1.1) Methodology Determination 2015.