Longdowns Regeneration Project

Longdowns Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration project located near Bourke and Brewarrina in Northwest New South Wales. It was registered in July 2015 and covers an immense 30,025.68 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration of a permanent even-aged native forest involves changing land management practices to allow native vegetation to naturally regrow where it was previously suppressed, rather than planting new seeds or seedlings. Instead, this methodology relies on assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, rootstock, and lignotubers. To achieve this, the Longdowns project has ceased the mechanical and chemical destruction of regrowth, excluded livestock, managed the timing and extent of grazing, and implemented humane feral animal management.

The Bourke and Brewarrina region is known for expansive flat plains and a semi-arid climate with summer-dominant rainfall, averaging around 380mm annually. Situated within the Darling Riverine Plains, the region's soils are primarily alluvial, featuring clay loams and red earths. Historically, the predominant land use in this area has been extensive sheep and cattle grazing, alongside some irrigated agriculture and dryland cropping.

Since its registration, the project has undergone a few administrative variations, including removals of specific land parcels in 2015 and 2017, and a division under section 77A of the CFI Act in December 2022. The project is managed by Corporate Carbon Solutions Pty Ltd and Climate Friendly Pty Ltd, with historical involvement from Paniri Ventures Pty Ltd. Carbon offsets generated by the Longdowns Regeneration Project have been utilized by high-profile initiatives, including the NSW Government's Vehicle Emissions Offset Scheme (VEOS) and corporate sustainability programs such as AMP Limited's carbon neutral targets.