Darling River Conservation Initiative Site #5

Darling River Conservation Initiative Site #5 is a Human-Induced Regeneration project located approximately 30km south-east of Hungerford in the Paroo Shire of south-west Queensland. It was registered in November 2018 and covers a substantial area of 31,239.29 hectares.

Human-Induced Regeneration (HIR) projects involve establishing permanent, even-aged native forests by altering land management practices. A standard requirement for this methodology is that the land must have been previously cleared of native vegetation and regrowth suppressed for at least 10 years prior to the project's commencement. The ultimate goal is to allow the native trees to regenerate and eventually achieve a native forest cover.

The Paroo Shire region is predominantly known for large-scale agricultural land use, specifically pastoral sheep and cattle grazing. The environment is classified as semi-arid, experiencing low and highly variable rainfall. The local landscape typically features red sandy soils, open mulga shrublands, and alluvial clay plains around the ephemeral river systems.

To facilitate the forest's recovery, the project's core activities include restricting the timing and extent of livestock grazing, as well as implementing the humane management of feral animals. These management changes allow permanent native forests to naturally recover through assisted regeneration from in-situ seed sources, including subterranean rootstock and lignotubers.

The project is operated by Terra Carbon Pty Limited, a subsidiary of GreenCollar, which is one of Australia's largest environmental market developers. Notably, this project has committed to a 100-year permanence period, ensuring the long-term protection of the regenerated habitat. Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) generated from this site have been purchased by corporate buyers, such as IT provider Tecala Group, to offset their emissions and maintain Climate Active carbon neutral certification while supporting local biodiversity.