Byrock Station Regrowth Project

Byrock Station Regrowth Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located in the Mulga Lands of western New South Wales, situated immediately adjacent to the locality of Byrock and approximately 80 kilometers south of the major service center of Bourke. Registered on March 26, 2015, the project covers a substantial area of 11,688.90 hectares.

The region surrounding Byrock is characterized by semi-arid rangelands primarily utilized for grazing sheep, cattle, and goats. The landscape typically consists of red earth soils (Red Kandosols or Chromosols) supporting vegetation such as Mulga (Acacia aneura), Bimble Box, and native cypress pine. As a Human-Induced Regeneration project, the methodology does not involve planting new trees. Instead, it focuses on land where native forest regrowth has been suppressed for at least 10 years, usually by livestock grazing or mechanical clearing. By managing these suppression activities, such as controlling grazing timing and reducing feral animal pressure, the project allows the native seed bank (rootstock and lignotubers) to regenerate into a permanent forest.

Interesting aspects of this project include its participation in the Emission Reduction Fund auctions, having secured a carbon abatement contract in April 2015. Additionally, the project underwent a variation in September 2015 to remove certain areas from the project boundary, likely to refine the carbon estimation area to those most suitable for regeneration. The project is managed by proponent Colm James Dempsey with the assistance of JB Carbon Services Pty Ltd.