Darling River Conservation Initiative - Site #2

Darling River Conservation Initiative - Site #2 is a Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) project located at "Blue Hills" station, approximately 80 kilometers northwest of Cobar in the rangelands of New South Wales. Registered on October 5, 2018, the project encompasses a significant area of 17,733 hectares. While the project proponent is listed as Terra Carbon Pty Limited, this is a holding entity for GreenCollar, a major Australian environmental markets developer, who manages the project in partnership with the property owners, Rachael and Brendan Litchfield.

The project operates under the Human-Induced Regeneration methodology, which differs from tree planting. Instead of active planting, the project focuses on land management changes to allow native forest to regenerate naturally from in-situ seed sources (like rootstock and lignotubers). Key activities involve the management of grazing pressure, specifically the exclusion of unmanaged livestock and the humane control of feral animals, such as goats, which historically suppressed vegetation growth. By installing infrastructure like firebreaks and fencing to support rotational grazing, the project aims to restore permanent even-aged native forests.

The region is characterized by a semi-arid climate with variable rainfall, generally averaging between 300mm and 350mm annually. The landscape typically features red earth soils (Kandosols) and sandy loams, supporting vegetation such as Mulga and Bimble Box communities. The project has been noted for improving the property's drought resilience, allowing vegetation to recover more quickly during dry spells while providing the landowners with a diversified income stream to reinvest in farm infrastructure.