Corrie Downs Regeneration Project

Corrie Downs Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 70km northwest of Walgett, situated between the towns of Walgett and Brewarrina in northern New South Wales. Registered in August 2015, the project covers a total area of approximately 11,913 hectares. The region is predominantly used for grazing livestock, particularly sheep and cattle, which is the primary historical land use that this project seeks to modify to allow for vegetation recovery.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) methodology, which involves regenerating native forests by ceasing activities that previously suppressed regrowth. In this context, the project activities focus on the management of grazing pressure and the humane control of feral animals. For the project to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), the regenerating forest must demonstrate the potential to reach "forest cover" status, defined as attaining a height of at least 2 meters and a canopy cover of 20%.

Environmentally, the Walgett and Brewarrina region is classified as semi-arid, characterized by hot summers and mild winters with an average annual rainfall of approximately 450mm to 500mm. The landscape typically consists of floodplains and ridges featuring Vertosols, grey and brown cracking clay soils, which are fertile but subject to the harsh, dry climatic conditions. These soils often support native vegetation such as Mitchell grass and coolabah trees when grazing pressure is managed effectively.

The project is undertaken by proponent John Frederick Wheaton with the assistance of carbon service provider Climate Friendly Pty Ltd. According to voluntary data releases, the specific Carbon Estimation Area (CEA), the actual land within the project boundary actively credited for carbon sequestration, was approximately 2,752 hectares as of early 2023. The project establishes permanent native forests from in-situ seed sources, including rootstock and lignotubers, on land where regrowth had been suppressed for at least 10 years prior to registration.