Paroo River South Environmental Project

Paroo River South Environmental Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located in the semi-arid Paroo catchment of South West Queensland, situated northwest of Cunnamulla. Registered in November 2016, the project spans an expansive 41,445.80 hectares. The surrounding area is historically known for pastoral land uses, specifically extensive sheep and beef cattle grazing. The region is characterised by a semi-arid, highly variable, and low rainfall climate, typically averaging between 200mm and 400mm annually. Soils in this catchment generally consist of red earths, sandy loams, and clays.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve establishing permanent native forests through assisted regeneration by removing or managing the suppressors that prevent natural regrowth. Under this methodology, the land must have been previously cleared of vegetation with regrowth suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project's commencement. To achieve regeneration, the Paroo River South project relies on in-situ seed sources, including rootstock and lignotubers. The core project activities involve the cessation of mechanical and chemical destruction of regrowth and the careful management of the timing and extent of livestock grazing. Standard requirements for this methodology also dictate that the regenerating vegetation must eventually reach a height of at least 2 metres and provide a minimum of 20% crown cover.

Over its history, the project's ownership has evolved, undergoing participant variations from Corporate Carbon Solutions and Matthew Donald Parkinson in 2017, eventually settling with Lanin Holdings Pty Ltd and Ninal Ventures Pty Ltd in 2019. A Commonwealth carbon abatement contract (CAC760482) was initially secured in April 2017 but was later terminated or lapsed in October 2018. Despite this, the Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) generated by the project have found strong demand in the voluntary market. Credits from the Paroo River South Environmental Project have been retired by major organisations such as Australia Post, Woodside Energy, and AllianceBernstein to offset their corporate emissions.