Westmere Regeneration Project

Westmere Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 20km north-west of Louth in the Bourke local government area of New South Wales. It was registered in September 2015 and covers an expansive area of 29,125.52 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve regenerating permanent, even-aged native forests on land where natural regrowth was previously suppressed for at least 10 years. The standard requirements of this methodology dictate that landholders must cease destructive clearing and actively manage suppressors to allow native trees to regenerate from in-situ seed sources, such as rootstock and lignotubers.

The region around Bourke and Louth is predominantly dedicated to extensive pastoral land uses, primarily sheep and cattle grazing. It is characterized by a semi-arid climate with typically low rainfall, and the surrounding soils generally consist of sandy loams, red earths, and clay plains common to the Darling River basin.

To achieve native forest regeneration at Westmere, the primary project activities involve the humane management of feral animals alongside the strict management of the timing and extent of livestock grazing. By managing these pests and grazing pressures, native trees and shrubs are given the opportunity to grow, which in turn improves the habitat for native species and restores local ecosystem services.

Interestingly, major energy retailer AGL Energy has historically purchased Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) generated by this project. These credits have been utilized to support AGL's Climate Active-certified carbon neutral electricity products, providing a supplementary revenue stream for the local graziers. Additionally, the project underwent administrative boundary variations in 2016, with some specific land areas being formally added and removed to refine the registered property footprint.