Atley Station Regeneration Project

The Atley Station Regeneration Project is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located in the Murchison region of Western Australia, approximately 34 kilometers southwest of the township of Sandstone. Registered on May 22, 2018, the project encompasses a vast area of approximately 350,796 hectares. The region is traditionally utilized for pastoral leasing, specifically grazing sheep, cattle, and goats.

Operating under the HIR methodology, this project focuses on regenerating permanent native forests from in-situ seed sources rather than planting new trees. The primary activity involves managing grazing pressure, specifically controlling the timing and extent of livestock and feral animal (goat) access. By installing fencing and managing stock levels, the proponents allow the suppression of regrowth to cease, enabling native vegetation to recover and reach forest cover maturity.

The environment at Atley Station is characterized by a semi-arid to arid climate with low, variable rainfall averaging roughly 200-250mm annually. The landscape features the red earth and sandy loam soils typical of the Mid-West rangelands, supporting vegetation dominated by Mulga (Acacia aneura) woodlands, saltbush, and bluebush.

An interesting facet of this project is its role in the financial sustainability of the property. The proponents, the Hodshon family, turned to carbon farming after wild dogs severely impacted their sheep operations, forcing a shift in business strategy. The project is managed with the assistance of Select Carbon (now a subsidiary of Shell) and holds a carbon abatement contract with the Australian Government. The variation noted in 2020 likely refers to the refinement of Carbon Estimation Areas (CEAs) to exclude non-compliant land or infrastructure.