CNCF Biodiverse Sandalwood (Revoked)

CNCF Biodiverse Sandalwood (Revoked) is a farm forestry planting project located near Bencubbin, approximately 275km north-east of Perth in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia. It was registered in April 2018 and covers 887.65 hectares, incorporating additional lands added during a variation to the project area in June 2021.

The Measurement Based Methods for New Farm Forestry Plantations methodology allows landholders to earn carbon credits by establishing permanent forests or harvest plantations on land that has been cleared of forest cover and continuously used for grazing or cropping for at least five years prior to planting.

The Bencubbin area is predominantly known for agricultural land use, specifically winter cereal cropping (such as wheat and barley) and sheep grazing. The region features a hot, semi-arid Mediterranean climate with low average annual rainfall around 312 mm. The local soils can vary heavily, but this project specifically targeted unproductive, acidic "wodgil" soils and sandy earths that naturally support native sandalwood ecosystems on degraded dryland farms.

The project was established by Regenerate Australia Ltd (formerly known as Carbon Positive Australia and initially the Carbon Neutral Charitable Fund) to restore unproductive farmland while offering a future commercial return to farmers. The planting model features native Acacia species and other shrubs functioning as essential host plants for the hemiparasitic native sandalwood (Santalum spicatum). Although it had strong ecological goals, aiming for the eventual commercial harvest of sandalwood nuts and timber around year 25, the project was officially revoked on April 7, 2026, under section 30 of the CFI Rule.