Cougar Regeneration Project

Cougar Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration project located at the "Cougar" property in Tindarey, approximately 35km north-northwest of Cobar in NSW. It was registered in October 2015 and covers an area of 6,553.10ha.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve establishing permanent native forests through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, such as rootstock and lignotubers. The methodology requires that the land was previously cleared of vegetation and that regrowth was suppressed for at least 10 years before the project commenced. The ultimate goal is for the regenerated native forest to attain at least 20% crown cover and a height of 2 metres.

The Cobar and Tindarey area is heavily associated with historic copper and gold mining operations, as well as broadacre pastoral grazing. The region experiences a semi-arid climate, featuring hot summers and highly variable, low annual rainfall averaging between 350mm and 400mm. Situated on the Cobar Peneplain, the local soils are generally hard-setting red earths, red sandy loams, and clay plains.

This project facilitates native forest regrowth by managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing, and through the humane management of feral animals. Both livestock and feral animals are identified as the primary suppressors to native vegetation on this property.

Since its registration, the project has seen several administrative updates. In January 2023, the listed participant names were varied from Kerri Rees and Peter Jelley to Megan Barker and Mathew Farrell. Later, in August 2023, the project's methodology was updated to Compilation No. 3. The project uses the FullCAM 2020 model to estimate carbon abatement and successfully holds a Fixed Delivery Carbon Abatement Contract with the Clean Energy Regulator. To date, it has been issued 92,789 Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).