Glengeera Forest Regeneration Project

Glengeera Forest Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 35km north of Bourke in outback New South Wales. It was registered in August 2015 and currently covers a sprawling project area of 19,334.86 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve changing agricultural and land management practices to allow native even-aged forests to naturally regenerate. Under this methodology, the land must have been previously cleared of native vegetation and the regrowth continually suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project commencing.

The far-west region of NSW surrounding Bourke is heavily utilised for extensive pastoral operations, primarily focused on cattle and sheep grazing. The environment is distinctly semi-arid with extremely hot summers and highly variable, low rainfall that typically averages under 300mm annually. The local soil profile is predominantly made up of red earths (Kandosols) and cracking clay soils (Vertosols), which are adapted to support hardy native outback scrub and grasses.

This project aims to establish permanent native forests by ceasing the mechanical and chemical destruction of regrowth and implementing the humane management of feral animals. This cessation of suppressive activities allows the environment to recover via assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, including rootstock and lignotubers. An interesting historical note regarding the project is that a variation was approved on September 30, 2015, which removed specific areas from the initial project boundary. The project is managed by the proponent KARBILL PTY LTD, with Climate Friendly Pty Ltd participating as the project agent. Furthermore, the project successfully secured a carbon abatement contract with the Commonwealth in November 2015 (Contract CAC102267).