Environmental Plantings in NPWS Reserves - Pilot Project stage 2

Environmental Plantings in NPWS Reserves - Pilot Project stage 2 is an aggregated carbon farming initiative located across multiple diverse sites within the New South Wales reserve system. Rather than being situated in a single location, the project area of approximately 814 hectares is dispersed across the state, stretching from the high-rainfall North Coast near Maclean and Kempsey to the semi-arid interior near Balranald and Mount Hope. Registered in February 2017, the project represents a strategic effort by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) to actively revegetate land acquired for the National Parks estate.

The project operates under the Environmental Planting methodology, which involves the direct planting of native tree species, such as tubestock or direct seeding, to establish permanent forest cover. To meet the methodology's requirements, the project must maintain a stocking density of at least 200 stems per hectare and ensure the plantings have the potential to reach forest height (2 meters) and canopy cover (20%). The specific project sites utilize land that was historically cleared for agricultural use (cropping or grazing) for at least five years prior to the project's commencement, transitioning these areas from farming back to native conservation habitat.

Due to the wide geographic spread, the environmental conditions vary significantly across the project areas. The coastal sites near Kempsey and Maclean typically experience high rainfall and subtropical conditions with loamy or clay soils, supporting dense vegetation. Conversely, the western sites near Balranald (likely in the vicinity of Yanga National Park) and Mount Hope are characterized by semi-arid climates, lower rainfall (often under 400mm annually), and sandy or red earth soils, requiring hardier, drought-tolerant species.

This project is a key component of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service's (NPWS) broader strategy to become "carbon positive" by 2028. By partnering with carbon service providers like CO2 Australia, the NPWS utilizes these pilot projects to demonstrate how active reforestation can sequester carbon while simultaneously expanding habitat for biodiversity on former agricultural properties now under conservation management.