Etiwanda Native Forest Protection Project

The Etiwanda Native Forest Protection Project is an avoided deforestation project located at Etiwanda Station, approximately 90km south of Cobar in the Western Division of New South Wales. Registered in June 2014, the project protects 9,933 hectares of native forest that was historically approved for clearing but is now retained for carbon sequestration.

Avoided deforestation projects credit landholders for preventing the clearing of native forest. To be eligible under the 'Avoided Deforestation 1.1' methodology, the proponent must hold a clearing consent issued before 1 July 2010, demonstrating that the land would have likely been converted to cropland or grassland without the project intervention.

The region is characterized by a semi-arid climate with irregular rainfall, supporting rangeland grazing operations. The landscape typically features red earth and skeletal soils common to the Cobar Peneplain. Etiwanda Station itself is a mixed farming enterprise, running White Dorper sheep, Red Angus cattle, and goats, while integrating regenerative agricultural practices such as multispecies planting and rotational grazing to improve soil health alongside the carbon project.

Originally established by Stuart Henry Mosely and Nancy Mosely, the project proponent role was transferred to Terra Carbon Pty Limited in 2021. The property is currently managed by the Mosely family, who have participated in broader environmental initiatives, including the 'Rangelands Living Skin' project, which aims to measure and improve landscape function and productivity in western NSW.