CO2 Australia - Human-Induced Regeneration Project - Stage 5 (Revoked)

CO2 Australia - Human-Induced Regeneration Project - Stage 5 (Revoked) is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 20km north of Trundle in the Central West region of New South Wales. It was registered in November 2017 and covers an exceptionally small area of just 1.46 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration projects involve regenerating native forests by changing land management practices, such as the exclusion of livestock and management of feral animals, to allow native vegetation to recover. To generate carbon credits under this methodology, projects must take place on land where forest growth was suppressed for at least 10 years prior to commencement, and the vegetation must be managed to eventually reach true forest cover, defined as at least 20% crown cover and a height of at least 2 metres.

The Trundle area and broader Central West region of NSW are well known for wheat cropping alongside sheep and cattle grazing. The region generally experiences a semi-arid to temperate climate with moderate rainfall (averaging around 450-500mm annually). The soils in this agricultural belt are predominantly red-brown earths, sodic subsoils, and sandy loams.

This project was established to facilitate permanent native forest growth through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, including rootstock and lignotubers. Notably, the project was officially revoked on 23 June 2022 under section 30 of the CFI Rule. Despite its revocation, a variation of the proponent was still recorded in December 2024, updating the participant name from CO2 AUSTRALIA LIMITED to CO2 AUSTRALIA Pty Ltd. The 1.46-hectare size is highly unusual for an HIR project (which typically span hundreds or thousands of hectares), which may have contributed to it being grouped as part of a staged development ("Stage 5") that was ultimately discontinued.