Cudgee Regeneration Project

The Cudgee Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 85km southeast of Quilpie in South West Queensland. Registered on February 7, 2018, the project spans a massive 33,811 hectares within the Quilpie Shire Council area. The region is historically dominated by pastoral leases used for sheep and cattle grazing, which constitutes the primary land use in this remote part of the Mulga Lands bioregion.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects focus on restoring native forest cover through changes in land management rather than planting trees. For the Cudgee Regeneration Project, this involves managing the timing and extent of grazing pressure to allow existing vegetation, suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project, to regenerate from in-situ seed sources like rootstock and lignotubers. To meet standard methodology requirements, the regenerating forest must eventually reach a height of two meters and a canopy cover of 20% within the project area.

Environmentally, the site is situated in a semi-arid zone characterized by low and variable rainfall, typically averaging between 250mm to 350mm annually. The soil composition in this section of the Mulga Lands generally consists of red earths, sandy loams, and clay pans, which support the growth of drought-tolerant species such as Mulga (Acacia aneura) and Poplar Box.

The project is operated by Amaral Pastoral Pty Limited in partnership with service provider Climate Friendly. Notably, Amaral Pastoral has been featured in media produced by Climate Friendly to showcase carbon farming in Queensland, highlighting the integration of carbon projects with traditional farming. The project secured a Carbon Abatement Contract (CAC663957) with the Australian Government in July 2019, ensuring a buyer for the carbon credits generated.