Darling River Eco Corridor #28

Darling River Eco Corridor #28 is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located approximately 125 kilometres west of Bourke in the Far West region of New South Wales. Registered in May 2018, the project covers a substantial area of 33,333 hectares within the Mulga Lands bioregion. It appears to be associated with the "Conlea" pastoral station, managed by grazier Peter Johnston, who has integrated carbon farming with his existing cattle enterprise to diversify income and improve drought resilience.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology, which awards carbon credits for regenerating native forests on land where vegetation was previously suppressed by activities such as heavy grazing or clearing. To achieve this, the project proponent, Terra Carbon Pty Limited (a subsidiary of GreenCollar), implements changes in land management. These activities primarily involve managing the timing and extent of livestock grazing, often through rotational grazing strategies, and controlling feral animals, particularly goats, which are notorious for destroying young tree seedlings in the rangelands.

The environment in this region is semi-arid, characterized by hot summers and mild winters, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 300mm. The landscape typically consists of flat red earth plains, sandy rises, and clay pans. The native vegetation regenerating under this project includes species typical of the Mulga Lands, such as Mulga (Acacia aneura), Poplar Box (Eucalyptus populnea), Turpentine (Eremophila sturtii), and Hopbush (Dodonaea viscosa). By allowing these native woodlands to recover, the project not only sequesters carbon but also helps stabilize soils and reverse land degradation caused by historical overgrazing.