Pine Ridge Native Forest Protection Project

Pine Ridge Native Forest Protection Project is an avoided deforestation project located in the Cobar Local Government Area, approximately 60km southwest of Cobar in western New South Wales. It was registered in March 2014 and covers 8,366.81 hectares.

Avoided deforestation projects generate carbon credits by protecting native forest from being cleared and converted into agricultural land. To be eligible under the methodology, proponents must hold a valid clearing consent, typically an Invasive Native Species Property Vegetation Plan (INS PVP) in NSW, issued prior to 1 July 2010. This strict cutoff ensures the clearing permit was not obtained solely to participate in the carbon market. Carbon abatement is calculated using allometric equations applied to tree measurements from biomass surveys conducted within the project area.

The Cobar region is well known for large pastoral stations focused on sheep and cattle grazing, alongside significant mining operations. The climate is classified as semi-arid with low rainfall, and the local landscape is typically characterised by red earth soils, clay loams, and sandy loams.

This project operates under a 100-year permanence period, securing the native forest until 2114. In May 2015, the project varied its method from the 2013 determination to the updated 2015 Avoided Deforestation methodology. Through the project's lifespan, its agent, Terra Carbon Pty Limited, secured an active fixed delivery contract (CAC526762) selling over 311,000 Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) back to the Commonwealth.