Lynwood Human-Induced Regeneration Project

Lynwood Human-Induced Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located north-west of Cobar in the Cobar Peneplain bioregion of New South Wales. It was registered in June 2015 and covers an area of 46,663.66 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve establishing permanent native forests through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources (such as rootstock and lignotubers) on land where regrowth was previously suppressed for at least 10 years. Standard requirements dictate that the land must reach native forest cover by ceasing suppressive activities. To achieve this, the project manages the timing and extent of livestock grazing, erects fencing upgrades, and humanely manages feral animals.

The Cobar region is widely known for extensive pastoral land uses, primarily sheep and cattle grazing. The environment features a semi-arid climate historically known for tough droughts and sudden flooding rains, while the local soil profiles consist largely of undulating sandy plains and rocky ridges. These conditions support the regrowth of natural shrublands and woodlands, dominated by endemic species such as Poplar Box (Eucalyptus populnea), White Cypress Pine (Callitris glaucophylla), and various native shrubs like hopbush.

The "Lynwood" property has been managed by Robin and Keryl Thorpe since 2006. The carbon project was set up to help the landholders drought-proof their business, diversify their income, and reduce their heavy reliance on livestock. The financial returns from carbon farming have been directly reinvested into the property to build new dams, repair roads, hire local labour, and improve fire management systems through maintained firebreaks. Furthermore, carbon credits generated by the Lynwood project have been purchased to offset emissions by prominent organisations, including Lark Distilling Co. and IFM Investors.