Cougar Regeneration Project

The Cougar Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 35 kilometers north of Cobar in the Western Division of New South Wales. Registered in October 2015, the project covers a substantial area of 6,553 hectares. The property, identified as "Cougar" on local shire maps, sits in a region heavily utilized for rangeland grazing of sheep, cattle, and goats, as well as mining activities, with the Endeavour Mine located nearby.

HIR projects in this region typically involve regenerating native forest cover on land where vegetation has historically been suppressed, often by livestock or feral animals. To meet the methodology's requirements, the project proponents, Mathew Farrell and Megan Barker, undertake activities such as controlling the timing and extent of grazing and managing feral animals. The goal is to allow native species, likely Mulga (Acacia aneura), Bimble Box (Eucalyptus populnea), or White Cypress Pine (Callitris glaucophylla), to regenerate from in-situ seed sources and rootstock until they achieve forest cover status (2 meters height and 20% canopy density).

The environment in the Cobar Peneplain is classified as semi-arid, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 350-400mm. The terrain typically consists of level to undulating country featuring red earth and red loam soils, often with stony lithosols on ridges. These soil types are well-suited to the native woody vegetation targeted by the project. The project is managed with the assistance of Select Carbon Pty Ltd (now a subsidiary of Shell), a well-known carbon service provider in the Australian market.