Bedooba Native Forest Protection Project

Bedooba Native Forest Protection Project is an Avoided Deforestation project located at Bedooba Station, approximately 90km south of Cobar in the Central West region of New South Wales. The project was registered in June 2014 and covers a significant area of 8,052 hectares. The property sits within the Cobar Peneplain, a region traditionally dominated by rangeland grazing of sheep and cattle.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Avoided Deforestation 1.1) Methodology Determination 2015. This specific methodology is designed for landholders who hold a distinct clearing permit issued before 1 July 2010. By choosing not to exercise this right to clear the native forest for agricultural conversion, typically for cropping or improved grazing, the proponent generates carbon credits equivalent to the emissions avoided. The project requires the forest to be maintained and managed to protect carbon stocks, rather than removed.

Environmentally, the region is classified as semi-arid, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 390mm, which can be highly variable. The landscape is characterized by red earth soils and sandy loams, which support native vegetation types such as bimble box, white cypress pine, and mulga. This vegetation is critical for preventing soil erosion in the fragile landscape.

An interesting aspect of this project is its participation structure; while the proponents are David Betts and Lisa Betts, the project involves Terra Carbon Pty Limited, a well-known service provider in the Australian carbon market. The project transitioned to the 1.1 version of the methodology in May 2015, ensuring it aligned with updated compliance standards.