Darling River Eco Corridor 16

Darling River Eco Corridor 16 is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 110km south-southeast of Cobar and 60km northwest of Tottenham in the Central West region of New South Wales. The project, registered in July 2015, covers a substantial area of 9,160 hectares on the property historically known as "Lowan Station." This region is part of the Cobar Peneplain, an area traditionally utilized for rangeland grazing of sheep and cattle, which had suffered from overgrazing and land degradation prior to the project's implementation.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve implementing land management changes to facilitate the regrowth of native forest from suppressed in-situ seed sources, such as rootstock and lignotubers. For this specific project, activities include the cessation of mechanical clearing and the active management of grazing pressure. This is achieved through upgraded fencing infrastructure to control livestock movement and the humane management of feral animals, particularly goats, which are a significant suppressor of vegetation in the area.

The environmental context of the site is typical of the semi-arid rangelands, characterized by flat to slightly undulating plains with sandy, loamy soils and red earths. The rainfall in this region is variable, averaging around 350-400mm annually. This climate supports a native vegetation mix dominated by species such as White Cypress Pine (Callitris glaucophylla), Bimble Box (Eucalyptus populnea), Mulga, and Budda (Eremophila mitchellii). The project aims to restore these woodlands, thereby increasing biodiversity and providing habitat for native wildlife like echidnas and woodland birds.

An interesting note regarding this project is its administrative history; it was originally registered under the name "Lowan Station Human-Induced Regeneration Project" before being renamed in May 2015 to "Darling River Eco Corridor 16." This renaming aligns it with a broader portfolio of aggregated conservation projects in the region. The project demonstrates how pastoralists can integrate carbon farming with traditional agriculture by reducing stock numbers to sustainable levels and utilizing rotational grazing to allow the landscape to recover.