Leucoxylyn Revegetation Project

The Leucoxylyn Revegetation Project is an environmental planting project located approximately 6km north-east of the rural township of St Arnaud, in the Pyrenees Shire of Victoria. Registered in May 2014, the project covers roughly 35 hectares of land in the North Central Victorian region. The area is historically known for gold mining and mixed farming operations, primarily sheep grazing and cropping, situated within a Mediterranean semi-arid climate zone.

The project operates under the 2012 Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) methodology for environmental plantings. This method requires establishing permanent plantings of native tree species on land that has been clear of forest for at least five years prior to the project's commencement. The carbon sequestration is calculated using the CFI Reforestation Modelling Tool (RMT), which models tree growth based on local climate and soil data. The "Leucoxylyn" in the project name is a reference to Eucalyptus leucoxylon (Yellow Gum), a native species prominent in Western Victoria known for its hardiness in heavy clay or loamy soils and its value for honey production and wildlife habitat.

An interesting facet of this project is the involvement of its proponent, Robin Michael Youl (Rob Youl). Dr. Rob Youl is a highly respected figure in Australian conservation, having served as the Chair of Australian Landcare International and received an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2012 for his service to the Landcare movement. Public records indicate that Youl and his family manage bushland near St Arnaud with a focus on habitat conservation and carbon storage, suggesting this project is a direct application of his lifelong work in land restoration.