Buckambool Human-Induced Regeneration Project

Buckambool Human-Induced Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on Buckambool Station, approximately 52 kilometers south of Cobar in the Far West region of New South Wales. Registered in June 2015, the project encompasses a massive area of 31,171 hectares. The surrounding region is defined by Western Lands Leases, primarily utilized for rangeland grazing of sheep, cattle, and goats, often integrated with opportunistic cropping on suitable flats.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve regenerating native forests by identifying and removing activities that have previously suppressed regrowth for at least 10 years. In this specific context, the project relies on managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing and actively controlling feral animals, particularly goats, which are prevalent in the Cobar district, to allow in-situ seed sources like rootstock and lignotubers to regenerate into permanent forest cover.

The project operates in a semi-arid climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 350mm. The terrain at Buckambool is described as slightly undulating with red loam to sandy loam soils, rising into rocky outcrops around the Buckambool Mountain range. These soil conditions support native vegetation typical of the Cobar Peneplain, including White Cypress Pine, Mulga, Rosewood, Kurrajong, and Bimble Box, particularly along creek systems like Sandy Creek.

This project is managed by Terra Carbon Pty Limited, a subsidiary of the environmental markets developer GreenCollar. An interesting feature of this operation is the significant emphasis on feral goat management; historical property listings note that trapping feral goats has been a primary revenue stream and a necessary ecological intervention to stop the decimation of native vegetation. The project demonstrates how carbon revenue can facilitate infrastructure upgrades, such as new fencing and water points, which allow landholders to rotate grazing more effectively and protect regenerating woodland.