Heffernan Forest Regeneration Project

The Heffernan Forest Regeneration Project is a significant Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located in the remote Far West region of New South Wales. Situated approximately 30km southeast of the outback settlement of Wanaaring and roughly 160km west of Bourke, the project spans an immense area of 141,994 hectares. Registered in April 2016, the project operates on large-scale pastoral holdings within the Unincorporated Far West, a region traditionally dedicated to extensive rangeland grazing of sheep, cattle, and goats.

This project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) (Human-Induced Regeneration of a Permanent Even-Aged Native Forest-1.1) Methodology. The primary mechanism for carbon sequestration here involves the strategic management of grazing pressure. By controlling the timing and extent to which livestock and feral animals access specific areas, the project allows native vegetation, specifically species suppressed for over a decade, to regenerate from in-situ seed sources, rootstock, and lignotubers.

The environmental setting is characteristic of the Mulga Lands bioregion. The area is classified as semi-arid to arid, with low and variable rainfall averaging between 250mm to 300mm annually. The landscape is dominated by mulga shrublands and bimble box woodlands growing on red earth soils, sandy loams, and stony ridges. These soils are ancient and weathered, typical of the Australian interior, and respond rapidly to rainfall events when grazing pressure is reduced, facilitating the regrowth of native forest cover.

An interesting aspect of this project is its sheer scale, covering nearly 142,000 hectares, which highlights the extensive nature of carbon farming in the Australian rangelands. The project uses Carbon Farmers of Australia Pty Ltd as its agent, leveraging their expertise to navigate the complex compliance requirements of the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) scheme. The project has a crediting period running until 2041, ensuring long-term conservation management of the regenerated forest.