Osterley Downs Native Forest Protection Project

Osterley Downs Native Forest Protection Project is an Avoided Deforestation project located approximately 50km south of Cobar in the Orana region of New South Wales. Registered in January 2014, the project covers a substantial area of roughly 28,000 hectares on the "Osterley Downs" station. The property is situated within the Cobar Peneplain bioregion, an area historically characterized by mixed farming enterprises including grazing (predominantly Dorper sheep and cattle) and opportunistic cropping.

The environment in this region is classified as semi-arid with low, variable rainfall. The landscape features flat to undulating plains with soil types ranging from red earths and sandy loams to skeletal soils on rocky outcrops. The native vegetation protected by this project includes open woodlands dominated by White Cypress Pine (Callitris glaucophylla), Bimble Box (Eucalyptus populnea), and various Mallee species. By retaining this vegetation, the project preserves vital habitat in a region often subject to land clearing for agricultural expansion.

The project operates under the Avoided Deforestation 1.1 methodology. This specific method applies to landholders who hold a valid clearing permit issued prior to July 1, 2010, which would have allowed them to clear native forest for conversion to cropland or pasture. By voluntarily surrendering this right and agreeing to maintain the forest cover for a set permanence period (in this case, 100 years), the project generates carbon credits for the emissions that were avoided.

A notable aspect of the Osterley Downs project is its status as a pioneering initiative; it was the first Native Forest Protection project established on Western Lands Leasehold land in Australia. This required significant policy collaboration between the project developer, GreenCollar (via their subsidiary Terra Carbon), and the NSW government to allow leasehold properties to participate in the Carbon Farming Initiative.