Environmental Plantings in NPWS Reserves - Pilot Project stage 2

Environmental Plantings in NPWS Reserves - Pilot Project stage 2 is an environmental planting project located across multiple National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) reserves in New South Wales, with sites ranging from 15km southeast of Balranald in the state's southwest to approximately 20km inland from Kempsey on the Mid North Coast. It was registered in February 2017 and covers an area of 813.96 hectares.

Environmental planting projects involve establishing permanent plantings of a mix of native tree and understorey species on land previously used for agriculture. Under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings (FullCAM) methodology, these projects must be established at a sufficient stocking density, typically at least 200 stems per hectare, to successfully achieve forest cover, meaning trees will reach a minimum of 2 metres in height and provide at least 20% crown cover.

Due to the broad geographic spread of the reserves, the project spans diverse environments traditionally used for sheep and cattle grazing, cropping, and forestry. The climate profiles range from semi-arid in the western inland locations to high rainfall along the eastern coast. Correspondingly, the soil classifications vary extensively across the sites, featuring sandy loams and red-brown earths in the west, through to more fertile clays and basalt-derived soils in the coastal and central tableland regions.

This project was established to restore former agricultural lands that have been incorporated into the NPWS estate, ensuring the newly planted tree species are native to each specific local area. Over its lifecycle, the project has undergone area variations in May 2018 and November 2019 to amend its boundaries. On December 23, 2025, the primary proponent was officially updated from the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW). The project is heavily supported by an active Carbon Abatement Contract (CAC982056) secured during the April 2017 auction, committing 69,300 ACCUs to the Commonwealth, with CO2 Australia acting as the project agent.