Darling River Eco Corridor 3

Darling River Eco Corridor 3 is a Human-Induced Regeneration project located in outback New South Wales, approximately 120km northwest of Cobar and 140km southwest of Bourke. It was registered in June 2016 and covers an expansive 40,207.97ha.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects involve establishing permanent, even-aged native forests by altering land management practices to allow for native vegetation recovery. A standard requirement for this methodology is that the land must have been previously cleared of vegetation and had its regrowth suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project commencing.

The Bourke and Cobar regional area is predominantly used for vast pastoral sheep and cattle grazing stations, alongside base metal and gold mining operations. The environment is considered semi-arid with low, highly variable rainfall averaging around 350-390mm annually. The soils in this region are typically red-brown earths, sandy loams, and clays.

This project facilitates assisted forest regeneration from in-situ seed sources, including rootstock and lignotubers. To achieve this, the project activities focus on carefully managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing, as well as controlling feral animal populations in a humane manner to remove historical regrowth suppressors.

Interestingly, the Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) generated by the Darling River Eco Corridor 3 project are highly sought after in the corporate sector. Major corporations, including Woodside Energy and ActewAGL, have actively acquired and retired credits from this specific project to offset their greenhouse gas emissions and meet carbon-neutral targets. The project is part of a massive portfolio of "Darling River Eco Corridor" conservation sites managed by the proponent, Terra Carbon Pty Limited.