Darling River Eco Corridor #30

Darling River Eco Corridor #30 is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) carbon project located approximately 35km north-west of Bourke in the Mulga Lands bioregion of New South Wales. Registered in November 2017, the project covers a substantial area of 67,278 hectares. The site is situated within the semi-arid rangelands of the Western Division, a region traditionally utilized for grazing sheep, cattle, and goats. The landscape is characterized by red sandy loam soils and flat to undulating plains, supporting native vegetation such as Mulga, Bimble Box, and Turpentine.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology, which credits landholders for allowing native forests to regenerate by suppressing removing suppressing activities. Unlike environmental planting, this method relies on existing seed banks and rootstock. For Darling River Eco Corridor #30, the primary activities involve managing the timing and extent of grazing and controlling feral animals, particularly unmanaged rangeland goats, which historically suppressed vegetation growth. By installing exclusion fencing and trap yards, the project enables the regeneration of native woodland while diversifying the landholders' income.

An interesting aspect of this project is its inclusion in the broader "Darling River Eco Corridor" initiative managed by GreenCollar (via proponent Terra Carbon Pty Limited). This initiative aggregates multiple properties along the Darling River catchment to create a contiguous zone of conservation and carbon sequestration. The project involves landholders Lincoln and Dimity Old, who have used the carbon revenue to improve property infrastructure and build financial resilience against the frequent droughts typical of the Bourke region.