Catchment Conservation Alliance - Great Barrier Reef Initiative Site #3

Catchment Conservation Alliance - Great Barrier Reef Initiative Site #3 is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located in the North Burnett region of Queensland, approximately 45 kilometers west of the town of Monto. Registered in July 2017, the project covers a substantial area of 4,659 hectares. The project is managed by Terra Carbon Pty Limited, a subsidiary of the environmental markets developer GreenCollar.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology, which involves regenerating permanent native forests on land where vegetation has been suppressed for at least 10 years. To achieve this, the project proponents implement specific management activities such as ceasing mechanical or chemical clearing and managing grazing pressure. These actions allow native vegetation, typically comprising eucalypt and acacia woodlands, to regenerate from in-situ seed sources like rootstock and lignotubers, thereby sequestering carbon in the growing biomass.

The surrounding North Burnett region is characterized by a sub-tropical climate with a summer-dominant rainfall pattern, averaging between 600mm and 750mm annually. The landscape is predominantly used for beef cattle grazing and forestry. Soils in this area are variable, ranging from sandy loams on ridges to heavier texture-contrast soils and clays in the valleys, which support the region's pasture and native timber.

A notable feature of this project is its inclusion in the "Catchment Conservation Alliance," a broader initiative targeting land within the Great Barrier Reef catchment. Beyond carbon sequestration, the project aims to deliver significant environmental co-benefits by stabilising soils and restoring forest cover. This helps reduce sediment run-off into local waterways that eventually flow into the Reef lagoon, directly addressing water quality issues in the Great Barrier Reef.