Nemeena Avoided Deforestation Project

Nemeena Avoided Deforestation Project is a native forest protection project located at "Nemeena" station, approximately 80 kilometers south of Brewarrina in Western New South Wales. Registered in October 2015, the project covers a significant area of 18,974 hectares. The surrounding region is part of the Western Division of NSW, an area predominantly used for extensive grazing of sheep and cattle, characterized by its rangeland environment.

The project operates under the Avoided Deforestation 1.1 methodology. This specific carbon farming method allows landholders to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by agreeing not to clear native forest that they previously had legal permission to remove. To be eligible, the project area must have held a valid clearing consent issued before 1 July 2010. Essentially, the proponent is paid to retain native vegetation for conservation and carbon storage rather than converting the land to cropping or grassland for agricultural use.

Environmentally, the site sits within a semi-arid climatic zone, typical of the Cobar Peneplain and Mulga Lands bioregions. The area generally experiences low and variable rainfall, and the landscape is dominated by red earth soils and vegetation types such as Mulga (Acacia aneura) and Poplar Box (Eucalyptus populnea).

An interesting note regarding this project is its reliance on the "Avoided Deforestation" method, which was revoked by the Australian Government in February 2023 following the Chubb Review. While new projects can no longer register under this specific determination due to concerns over whether the clearing would have actually occurred (additionality), existing projects like Nemeena remain active and continue to generate credits under the grandfathered rules. The project is managed by Bentick Investments Pty Ltd, with JB Carbon Services Pty Ltd listed as a participant, likely acting as the carbon service provider or aggregator.