Ashwood Native Forest Protection Project

Ashwood Native Forest Protection Project is an avoided deforestation project located approximately 45 to 90 km north of Cobar in New South Wales. It was registered in June 2014 and covers 21,205.34 ha.

Avoided deforestation projects involve protecting native forests from being cleared, preventing the land from being converted to an agricultural system. This methodology strictly applies to land where a clearing permit or consent was legally issued before 1 July 2010. By committing to retain the standing native vegetation, carbon is stored, which earns carbon credits. In May 2015, this project's method was updated to the Avoided Deforestation 1.1 Methodology Determination 2015.

The Cobar region is known for primary production, particularly sheep and cattle grazing on pastoral leases. The area features a semi-arid climate characterised by highly variable, low annual rainfall, and the local soils are generally classified as red earths and sandy loams typical of the Cobar Peneplain bioregion.

This project spreads across two properties managed by the Francisco families in partnership with project developer GreenCollar. Before the project, the families had intended to clear large amounts of land to maintain their farms through severe droughts and low stock prices. The alternative income stream from carbon credits has provided crucial financial security, allowing the families to install extensive fencing, upgrade water infrastructure, and manage their rotational grazing more sustainably by resting paddocks. In addition to protecting native habitat and mitigating fire risks, the project injects significant economic investment into the Bourke and Cobar shires and was projected to reduce emissions by more than 1.25 million tonnes over a 10-year period.