Youngerina Regeneration Project (Revoked)

Youngerina Regeneration Project (Revoked) was a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located at "Youngerina" station, approximately 100km northwest of Bourke in the far west of New South Wales. Registered in October 2015, the project covered a substantial area of 25,409 hectares within the Mulga Lands bioregion. This region is historically dominated by extensive grazing operations for sheep, cattle, and goats.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects generate carbon credits by allowing native forests to regenerate on land where regrowth has been historically suppressed. For this project, the suppression mechanisms identified were mechanical clearing and grazing pressure. The proponents, Ann and Colin Hood, undertook activities such as fencing to exclude livestock and managing feral animals (likely goats and pigs) to allow the native vegetation, typically Mulga (Acacia aneura) and associated shrublands, to re-establish itself.

The environment in this part of Outback NSW is classified as semi-arid, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 300mm to 350mm, which is highly variable. The landscape typically features red sandy loam soils (red earth) and clay pans, often supporting resilient native grasses and acacia woodlands. The project's location near Fords Bridge and Yantabulla places it in a remote area known as the "Back O' Bourke," where land management is heavily dictated by water availability.

A significant note for this project is its revocation on September 10, 2024, under Section 30 of the CFI Rule. This section refers to a "voluntary revocation," indicating the proponents chose to withdraw the project from the scheme, rather than being forced to exit due to compliance issues. This effectively removes the carbon maintenance obligation from the land title, provided any issued credits were voluntarily relinquished or the project had not yet received credits that required returning.