Catchment Conservation Alliance - Southern Rivers Initiative Site #3

Catchment Conservation Alliance - Southern Rivers Initiative Site #3 is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located at Aldville Station, approximately 100km northwest of Cunnamulla in South West Queensland. Registered in March 2017, the project covers a substantial area of 32,633 hectares within the Paroo and Quilpie Shires. The region is traditionally utilized for rangeland grazing (sheep and cattle), which historically led to the suppression of native vegetation through heavy stocking pressure.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects focus on regenerating native forests on land where vegetation has been suppressed for at least 10 years. This methodology does not involve planting new trees; instead, it relies on managing land use factors, specifically the cessation of mechanical clearing and the control of grazing animals, to allow existing seed banks and rootstock to regenerate. To qualify, the land must have the potential to reach forest cover (20% crown cover at a height of 2 meters).

The project is situated in the Mulga Lands bioregion, an area characterized by semi-arid conditions and erratic rainfall, averaging between 300mm and 500mm annually. The landscape consists of stony rises interspersed with creek systems, featuring soils that are predominantly red earths and sandy loams. The vegetation is dominated by Mulga (Acacia aneura), Gidgee (Acacia cambagei), and Sandalwood (Eremophila mitchellii).

This project is part of a broader collaboration known as the Catchment Conservation Alliance, managed by environmental markets developer GreenCollar (via the proponent Terra Carbon Pty Limited). The initiative works with landholders, such as the owners of Aldville Station, to diversify income streams during drought. Specific activities on this site include the humane management of feral goats and the implementation of rotational grazing to reduce pressure on the landscape, thereby reducing soil erosion and improving water quality in the catchment.