Bareeda Regeneration Project

The Bareeda Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 100 kilometers southwest of Winton in central-western Queensland. Registered in November 2017, this expansive project covers 83,755.90 hectares of pastoral land. The surrounding region is part of the Channel Country and is predominantly utilized for sheep and cattle grazing, serving as a hub for Queensland's wool and beef industries.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects differ from tree planting initiatives; they focus on allowing native vegetation to recover naturally by suppressing negative drivers. In this specific case, the project involves managing the timing and extent of grazing pressure to protect in-situ seed sources, lignotubers, and rootstock. This change in land management allows suppressed vegetation to regenerate into a permanent even-aged native forest.

The environment in the Winton district is classified as semi-arid, characterized by hot summers and highly variable rainfall averaging around 350mm to 400mm annually, mostly falling during summer storms. The soil composition in the region typically features extensive plains of self-mulching cracking clays (supporting Mitchell Grass downs) alongside lighter sandy loams and red earths where woody species like Mulga and Gidyea are more prone to regeneration.

An interesting facet of this project is its participation in the Queensland Government's Land Restoration Fund (LRF) pilot. The project received funding to help identify and quantify "co-benefits" of carbon farming, such as improved biodiversity and soil health, beyond just carbon sequestration. The project is operated by the McKerrow family, long-term graziers in the district, demonstrating how traditional agriculture can integrate with carbon markets.