Mulganey Regrowth Project

The Mulganey Regrowth Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 30 kilometers west of the remote settlement of Wanaaring in the Far West region of New South Wales. Registered in August 2015, the project covers a substantial area of 8,505 hectares. The surrounding region is part of the "Corner Country" and is predominantly utilized for extensive grazing operations, specifically for sheep and cattle, amidst the vast rangelands.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve implementing land management changes to facilitate the regrowth of native forest where it has been previously suppressed. For the Mulganey Regrowth Project, this involves managing the timing and extent of grazing and controlling feral animals. These activities reduce pressure on vegetation, allowing native species, likely Mulga (Acacia aneura) and associated woodland species common to the district, to regenerate from in-situ seed banks and rootstock to reach forest cover status.

The environment in the Wanaaring district is classified as semi-arid to arid, with a low average annual rainfall of approximately 270mm. The terrain typically features red earth soils, often covered with a mantle of siliceous gravel or associated with clay pans and gibber plains. This landscape supports resilient native vegetation adapted to irregular rainfall, making the management of grazing pressure critical for successful regeneration during wetter periods.

An interesting facet of this project is its long-standing participation in the Commonwealth's carbon market. It holds a Carbon Abatement Contract (CAC102622) awarded in November 2015, under which it has successfully delivered over 60,000 Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) to the government. The project is managed with the assistance of Select Carbon Pty Ltd, a carbon service provider that was acquired by Shell Australia in 2020, placing this project within a portfolio now connected to a major global energy corporation.