Yarrawonga Cobar Regeneration Project

Yarrawonga Cobar Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 18km southwest of Cobar in New South Wales. It was registered in September 2015 and covers a total area of 9,978.19 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects involve establishing permanent, even-aged native forests by encouraging the natural regrowth of native vegetation from in-situ seed sources, such as rootstock and lignotubers. To meet standard methodology requirements, projects must implement changes to land management practices, in this case, ceasing the mechanical or chemical suppression of regrowth and humanely managing feral animals, to allow the forest to regenerate to at least 20% canopy cover and reach a minimum height of 2 metres.

The Cobar region is characterized by a semi-arid climate with low, variable rainfall and high evaporation. Local land use is largely driven by pastoral agriculture, particularly extensive sheep grazing, alongside historically significant and active mining operations. The environment features soils predominantly composed of red silty loams, red Chromosols, and hard red earths.

This project was established on land previously cleared of vegetation where regrowth had been actively suppressed for at least 10 years prior to commencement. It is operated by David Snelson, a seventh-generation sheep grazier, who initiated the carbon project to offset revenue lost during a severe and prolonged drought. To facilitate native regeneration, he reduced the property's sheep flock from 4,000 to 3,000 head, dedicating half of the farm to the restoration of native trees. The project underwent a method variation in July 2023, and its Carbon Abatement Contract (CAC102278) with the Commonwealth, initially contracted in November 2015 for 144,302 tonnes of abatement, has now been completed.