Kaleno Native Forest Protection Project

Kaleno Native Forest Protection Project is an avoided deforestation project located on Kaleno Station, situated south-west of Cobar in western NSW. It was registered in September 2015 and covers 32,878.60 ha.

Avoided deforestation projects generate carbon abatement by protecting native forests from being cleared and converted to an agricultural system. To be eligible, the land must hold a historical broadscale clearing permit issued before 1 July 2010, and the area must be managed to achieve and maintain a mix of native trees, shrubs, and understorey species reflecting the structure of a protected native forest.

The Cobar Peneplain region is known for broadscale pastoral operations, primarily sheep and cattle grazing, as well as feral goat harvesting. The area experiences a semi-arid climate with highly variable rainfall, and the local soils generally consist of sand, loam, and laterite spread across alluvial plains, highland, and ridge country.

This project protects native woodland species such as White Cypress Pine (Callitris glaucophylla) and Eremophila from deforestation. The property is managed by Pauline and Barry Oliver, who have used the financial returns from their carbon projects to fund significant infrastructure improvements on the station, including new fencing, catching yards, and the grading of perimeter firebreaks. The project has also enabled more intensive harvesting of feral goats, which has noticeably improved the health of native ground cover and local woody shrubs like Hop Bush, Turpentine, and Budda.