Paroowidgee Regeneration Project

Paroowidgee Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 45km west of Wanaaring in the far north-west of New South Wales. It was registered in September 2015 and covers an area of 15,325.22 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects aim to establish permanent even-aged native forests on land where vegetation was previously cleared and regrowth has been continuously suppressed for at least 10 years. Proponents encourage natural regeneration from in-situ seed sources, such as rootstock and lignotubers, by altering long-term land management practices. For this specific method, standard requirements dictate that the regenerating forest must eventually achieve full forest cover, which is defined as a minimum of 20% canopy cover and a height of at least 2 metres. To achieve this, the Paroowidgee project activities involve the careful management of the timing and extent of livestock grazing, alongside the humane control of feral animals.

The Paroo and Wanaaring region of western NSW is characterised by a semi-arid climate with low, highly variable rainfall. The local environment is typically dominated by red sandy earths, claypans, and mulga scrublands. Due to these dry environmental conditions, the general land use of the surrounding area is dedicated almost entirely to expansive pastoral operations, primarily extensive sheep and cattle grazing.

Interestingly, the project's proponents, Neill and Debra Leigo, are prominent figures in the local pastoral community who manage Allundy Station. Neill Leigo has historically served on the Western Local Land Services board and the NSW Wild Dog Destruction Board (now the Border Fence Maintenance Board), advocating heavily for feral pest management and wild dog control across the Western Division. The project itself has undergone several administrative changes, including a November 2018 variation to remove specific areas from the project bounds, and a September 2023 variation to update its methodology determination to Compilation No. 3. Corporate sustainability records also show that major companies, including Cognizant and AllianceBernstein, have purchased and retired Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) generated from this specific project to offset their emissions.