Tarko Regeneration Project

The Tarko Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located at Tarko Station, approximately 105km west of Cunnamulla in South West Queensland. Registered in August 2015, the project covers a significant area of 13,638 hectares within the Paroo Shire. The region is part of the Mulga Lands bioregion, an area heavily utilized for grazing sheep and cattle on large pastoral leases.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects typically involve changing land management practices to allow the natural regeneration of native timber. For this specific project, the methodology focuses on regenerating permanent even-aged native forests, primarily Mulga (Acacia aneura) and Poplar Box woodlands, that were previously suppressed. Key activities include managing the timing and extent of grazing pressure from livestock and controlling feral animals to protect emerging vegetation.

The environmental conditions at the project site are characteristic of the semi-arid Mulga Lands. The area experiences highly variable, summer-dominant rainfall with an annual median of approximately 305mm. The soils are predominantly deep red earths and sandy loams, often featuring hardpans that can make water infiltration challenging without vegetation cover. The project is operated by the Cooney family, who hold the pastoral lease for the property, demonstrating how carbon farming can be integrated into active grazing operations.