Tuncoona Forest Regeneration Project

The Tuncoona Forest Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located on Tuncoona Station, approximately 65 kilometers north-northwest of Bourke in New South Wales. Situated near the small town of Enngonia, the project sits within the Mulga Lands bioregion, an area historically dominated by pastoral leases for sheep and cattle grazing. Registered in June 2016, the project covers a substantial area of 40,227 hectares and is operated by proponents Lisa and William Ridge with the assistance of carbon service provider Climate Friendly.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology, which credits landholders for allowing native forests to regenerate by removing suppression activities. In this context, the project activities focus on managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing and controlling feral animals (such as goats) that eat young seedlings. By reducing this grazing pressure, existing seed stocks and suppressed rootstock in the soil are able to germinate and grow into permanent forest cover, sequestering carbon in the process.

The region is characterized by a semi-arid climate with a mean annual rainfall of approximately 300mm to 350mm, which can be highly variable and is often summer-dominant. The landscape typically features red earth and sandy loam soils, supporting vegetation types such as Mulga (Acacia aneura), Bimble Box, and Turpentine. An interesting historical note for the property is that Tuncoona Station was the subject of mineral exploration drilling programs in the mid-2000s, highlighting the multi-use history of the land prior to its transition into carbon farming.