Pattison Native Forest Protection Project

Pattison Native Forest Protection Project is an Avoided Deforestation project located approximately 60km southwest of Bourke in the rangelands of western New South Wales. Registered in December 2014, the project secures a significant area of 8,175 hectares within the Bourke Shire Council region. The land is situated in the semi-arid Mulga Lands bioregion, an area traditionally dominated by grazing operations for sheep, cattle, and goats.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Avoided Deforestation 1.1) Methodology Determination 2015. This methodology is designed to protect native forests that have an existing governmental permit for clearing. By choosing not to exercise the right to clear the land for agricultural use (such as cropping or pasture improvement), the project generates carbon credits for the emissions avoided and the ongoing sequestration in the standing timber. To remain eligible, the area must be managed to reduce threats such as wildfire and feral pests while maintaining the forest cover.

Environmentally, the region is characterized by a semi-arid climate with variable, low rainfall averaging around 300mm to 350mm annually. The landscape typically features red earth soils (Kandosols) and red sandy loams, supporting vegetation communities like Mulga (Acacia aneura) and bimble box woodlands.

An interesting regulatory detail regarding this project is its reliance on a specific Property Vegetation Plan (PVP) clearing consent (referenced as 23PVP00012 in climate reviews) issued prior to July 2010, which established the "right to clear" necessary for this project type. The project holds a carbon abatement contract with the Australian Government, securing a fixed delivery of carbon credits. In 2020, the project participants were varied from the original landholders (Alfred, Gregory, and Neil Clark) to the project proponent, Terra Carbon Pty Limited.