CO2 Australia - Environmental Plantings Project - Stage 1 (Revoked)

CO2 Australia - Environmental Plantings Project - Stage 1 is a permanent environmental planting project located in the Riverina region of New South Wales, approximately 12 kilometers east of the township of Narrandera. Registered in November 2017, the project covers a notably small area of 1.01 hectares. This compact size suggests the project likely serves as a pilot site, a specific small-scale compliance offset, or a test plot for larger aggregations managed by the proponent.

The project operates under the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings-FullCAM methodology. This involves establishing permanent native vegetation, either mixed species or mallee eucalypts, on land that was previously cleared and used for agriculture (grazing or cropping) for at least five years prior to registration. The "FullCAM" designation indicates that carbon sequestration is calculated using the Australian Government's Full Carbon Accounting Model, which models tree growth based on location-specific climate and soil data, rather than relying solely on manual field measurements of tree biomass.

The Narrandera region is defined by a semi-arid to transitional climate with an annual average rainfall of approximately 450mm. The landscape is dominated by agricultural land use, specifically dryland cropping (wheat, canola) and livestock grazing. Soils in this specific vicinity are typically red-brown earths (chromosols) and sandy loams, which support the native box and gum woodlands endemic to the area.

An interesting aspect of this project is its structure; while Carbon Estate Pty Ltd is the proponent, CO2 Australia Pty Ltd acts as the agent or participant. CO2 Australia is one of the country's most established carbon service providers, often managing large-scale estates. The planting of "mixed-species" ensures biodiversity benefits alongside carbon sequestration, providing habitat for local fauna while shelter belts can offer windbreaks for adjacent agricultural activities.