Pilbara Restoration project (Revoked)

Pilbara Restoration project (Revoked) is an environmental planting project located approximately 30km southeast of Port Hedland in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It was registered in October 2016 and covered an area of 1,598.93 hectares.

Environmental planting projects under the 2014 Reforestation methodology involve establishing permanent plantings of mixed native or mallee tree species on land that was predominantly used for agricultural purposes and clear of forest for at least five years. These projects typically require planting at a density sufficient to achieve forest cover, which generally means establishing at least 200 stems per hectare so the trees can reach a minimum of 20% canopy cover and 2 metres in height at maturity.

The Pilbara region surrounding Port Hedland is predominantly known for its history of pastoral grazing (cattle and sheep) and extensive iron ore mining operations. The environment is considered semi-arid to arid, characterized by hot temperatures and highly variable, low rainfall that is mostly driven by summer cyclones. Soils in this area typically consist of red sandy earths, stony plains, and spinifex country.

This project was established by the Pilbara Carbon Group Pty Ltd with Climate Friendly Pty Ltd acting as an agent. A notable and unusual fact about this project is the massive Carbon Abatement Contract (CAC178664) it secured in November 2016 for 4,000,000 Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). Delivering 4 million ACCUs from a 1,598-hectare planting in a semi-arid region is biologically impossible, as it would require sequestering roughly 2,500 tonnes of carbon per hectare. Unsurprisingly, zero units were ever delivered, and the contract lapsed or was terminated on May 16, 2018. The project itself was voluntarily revoked under section 30 of the CFI Rule on April 9, 2018. Interestingly, a Western Australian parliamentary report notes that the proponent, Pilbara Carbon Group Pty Ltd, was linked to the Indigenous Carbon Group Pty Ltd and the Njamal People's Trust, suggesting the project was intended to have strong ties with local traditional owners before it was abandoned.