Human Induced Regeneration in NPWS Reserves - Pilot Project 2 (Revoked)

Human Induced Regeneration in NPWS Reserves - Pilot Project 2 (Revoked) was a carbon sequestration initiative located across multiple National Park reserves in New South Wales. Based on the project coordinates, the primary project areas were situated in the state's central north, approximately 20km northwest of Walgett and 40km west of Coonamble. Additionally, the project data indicates a component located in the Coffs Harbour hinterland, roughly 25km northwest of Coffs Harbour, near the Bindarri or Cascade National Parks.

Registered in September 2016 and covering a substantial 21,479 hectares, this project was a "Pilot" aiming to test the viability of carbon farming within the NSW National Parks estate. The project operated under the Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) methodology. This method involves allowing native forests to regenerate on land where vegetation had previously been cleared and regrowth suppressed, typically by livestock grazing or mechanical clearing. By removing these suppressors (e.g., fencing out cattle and sheep, managing feral goats and pigs), the project aimed to restore permanent native forest cover.

The environmental conditions varied significantly across the project's dispersed locations. The western sites near Walgett and Coonamble are characterized by a semi-arid climate with irregular rainfall and soils ranging from cracking clays to red loams, typical of the Western Plains grazing region. In contrast, the coastal hinterland location would experience high rainfall and support wet sclerophyll or rainforest vegetation on more fertile soils.

The project was voluntarily revoked in September 2022. As a pilot project managed by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (formerly Department of Planning and Environment), it likely served as a proof-of-concept for managing carbon assets on public conservation land. The revocation suggests the pilot concluded or the land management strategy transitioned, as the areas are now fully integrated into the National Parks framework where commercial carbon credits may no longer be the primary accounting mechanism.