Western Australia Conservation Initiative - Site 2

Western Australia Conservation Initiative - Site 2 is a human-induced regeneration project located at Talisker Station in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia, inland from Shark Bay. It was registered in August 2018 and originally covered 251,049.55 ha, before a project variation reduced the area to 172,108 ha in September 2022.

Human-induced regeneration projects involve establishing permanent even-aged native forests through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources like rootstock and lignotubers. This methodology requires altering land management practices on land where vegetation was previously suppressed for at least 10 years, which in this project includes managing the timing and extent of grazing and humane feral animal control.

The Gascoyne and Shark Bay regions are largely known for expansive pastoral cattle and sheep farming operations. The environment is considered semi-arid with low, variable rainfall, and soils in the area generally consist of red sands, sandy loams, and clay.

This project was set up in partnership with environmental market developer GreenCollar to rehabilitate a previously overstocked landscape. Carbon revenue is being utilized by the landholders to condense a 25-year infrastructure plan into just five years, funding over 250km of new fencing and increasing the property's functioning waterpoints from three to 30. This critical infrastructure keeps livestock away from creek lines, heavily reducing erosion and allowing the native ecosystem to recover. Additionally, the project focuses on creating job opportunities for local Indigenous peoples by working alongside the Traditional Owners.