Kia Ora Native Forest Protection Project

The Kia Ora Native Forest Protection Project is an avoided deforestation project located on "Kia Ora" station, approximately 80 kilometers southwest of Cobar in the semi-arid rangelands of western New South Wales. Registered in March 2015, the project covers a substantial area of 17,867 hectares. The region is predominantly utilized for grazing enterprises, characterised by a landscape of rolling downs and peneplains with vegetation including bimble box, white cypress pine, and mulga.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Avoided Deforestation 1.1) Methodology Determination 2015. This methodology is designed for landholders who hold a distinct clearing permit issued prior to July 1, 2010, specifically an Invasive Native Scrub (INS) Property Vegetation Plan in NSW, which would have otherwise allowed them to clear the land for agricultural conversion (such as cropping or high-intensity grazing). By voluntarily forgoing this right to clear, the project generates carbon credits for the emissions avoided.

Environmentally, the Cobar region typically experiences semi-arid conditions with an average annual rainfall of approximately 350mm. The soils are diverse but often consist of red earths and lithosols on ridges, transitioning to red-brown earths and clays in the flats. The Kia Ora property is managed by the Whytcross family, who use the revenue from carbon credits to fund sustainable land management practices. This includes investing in new water infrastructure and fencing to facilitate rotational grazing, which reduces pressure on the land. The project reportedly supports significant biodiversity, providing habitat for species such as red, grey, and black kangaroos, as well as Mulga parrots.