Kergunyah Native Forest Protection Project

The Kergunyah Native Forest Protection Project is an Avoided Deforestation project located on Kergunyah Station, approximately 46km northeast of Cobar in the Central West region of New South Wales. Registered in March 2015, the project covers a substantial area of 11,752 hectares. The project is managed by Terra Carbon Pty Limited, a subsidiary of the GreenCollar Group, in partnership with the property's pastoralist owners.

Avoided Deforestation projects work by protecting native forest that was historically designated for clearing. To be eligible under the 1.1 Methodology, the landholder must hold a clearing consent issued before 1 July 2010, proving that the forest would have legally been converted to cropland or pasture. By surrendering the right to clear, the project generates carbon credits for the stored carbon that remains in the landscape.

The Cobar region is characterized by a semi-arid climate with rainfall averaging between 350mm and 390mm annually. The landscape sits within the Cobar Peneplain bioregion, known for its undulating low ridges and signature red earth and sandy loam soils. The vegetation protected by this project includes open woodlands and shrublands dominated by Mulga, Bimble Box, and White Cypress Pine (Callitris).

This project integrates carbon farming with ongoing agricultural operations. While the native forest is protected from broadscale clearing, the land is still used for managed grazing of sheep and goats. This "co-existence" model improves ground cover and water retention, which has reportedly aided the property's resilience during drought. Biodiversity surveys on the property have recorded the presence of threatened native species, including the Kultarr and Hopping Mice.