North West Regeneration Project

The North West Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located in the Mulga Lands of outback New South Wales, approximately 100 kilometers north of Bourke and 60 kilometers north of Enngonia. Situated near the Queensland border, the project encompasses an area of 21,251 hectares across the pastoral properties known as "Birrimba" and "The Cato."

Registered in August 2015, the project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology. Unlike environmental planting projects which involve active tree planting, HIR projects rely on the natural germination of in-situ seed sources (such as rootstock and lignotubers) by removing suppression activities. For this specific project, the primary activity involves managing the timing and extent of grazing by livestock and controlling feral animals to allow native vegetation, typically Mulga (Acacia aneura) and native Box woodlands, to regenerate and achieve forest cover. The standard requirement for these projects is to achieve a permanent native forest with a canopy cover of at least 20% and a height of at least 2 meters.

The region is characterized by a semi-arid climate with hot summers and variable rainfall. The landscape features flat to undulating sandplains with soils predominantly consisting of red massive earths, sandy loams, and clay pans typical of the Warrego and Culgoa river catchments.

Originally registered as the "Birrimba/The Cato Regeneration Project," the name was updated in October 2015. The properties have a rich pastoral history, having previously been operated in conjunction with stations in the Northern Territory by large pastoral companies before the current proponents, Robert and Scott Mudford, took over the carbon project operations.