Clovelly Regeneration Project

Clovelly Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 85km northeast of Cunnamulla in the Paroo Shire of South West Queensland. It was registered in August 2015 and covers 13,898.15 ha.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve establishing permanent, even-aged native forests by changing land management practices to allow native vegetation to naturally regenerate. For this project, the primary activity is managing the timing and the extent of livestock grazing to cease the suppression of native regrowth.

The Paroo Shire region is predominantly known for sheep and beef cattle grazing, with native mulga woodlands providing a highly reliable fodder source. The area is classified as a semi-arid environment with low annual rainfall, typically averaging between 300mm and 500mm depending on the exact catchment area. Soils in this region generally consist of sandy and stony soils (Tenosols), red earths, as well as distinct clay soils (Vertosols) scattered along the intermittent river floodplains.

This project establishes permanent native forests through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, including resilient rootstock and lignotubers. It is being actively undertaken on land that was previously cleared of vegetation and where natural regrowth was suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project's commencement. Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) generated from the Clovelly Regeneration Project have been purchased and surrendered by major multinational corporations, such as Cognizant, to help offset their corporate carbon emissions.