'Maureenjoy Human-Induced Regeneration Project

Maureenjoy Human-Induced Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 140km northwest of Bourke in the semi-arid outback of New South Wales. It was registered in July 2015 and covers an extensive area of 16,360.43 hectares within the Bourke local government area. The surrounding regional land use is heavily dominated by extensive pastoralism, primarily focusing on sheep and cattle grazing operations.

The environment in this region is typically classified as semi-arid, experiencing low and highly variable annual rainfall. The soils found across this landscape generally consist of red earths (such as Kandosols and Chromosols), sandy loams, and localized areas of cracking clays (Vertosols) near ancient drainage lines.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve establishing permanent, even-aged native forests on land that was previously cleared of vegetation and where regrowth has been actively suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project commencing. Standard methodology requirements dictate that land managers must change their practices and cease suppressing activities to allow native vegetation to regenerate naturally from in-situ seed sources, rootstock, and lignotubers. For ACCU crediting, this regeneration must eventually reach standard forest cover, defined as having at least 20% crown cover and trees reaching a minimum of 2 meters in height.

To achieve these abatement outcomes, the Maureenjoy project implements specific management activities. This includes carefully managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing, as well as managing feral animals in a humane manner to relieve grazing pressure on regenerating plants. It is also an interesting note that the project proponent, Terra Carbon Pty Limited, is a registered subsidiary of GreenCollar, which operates as one of Australia's largest environmental market investors and carbon project developers.